Will Hardik Pandya play in RR vs MI clash of IPL 2026? Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey gives big update
Hardik Pandya missed MI’s previous game against the Delhi Capitals.
Mumbai Indians (MI) are set to clash with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their next match of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). The encounter will take place on April 7 at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. It will be MI’s third game in the tournament.
Hardik Pandya & Co. made a winning start to IPL 2026 by defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their opening game by six wickets. However, the happiness was short-lived as they lost their next clash against the Delhi Capitals (DC).
Mumbai failed to post a big total in the clash, piling up 162/6 in the first innings. The Axar Patel & Co. chased it down with ease by six wickets. Notably, MI were short of their captain Hardik Pandya in the previous clash.
Pandya missed the clash as he was not well, and Suryakumar Yadav was the stand-in captain in his absence. Now, Mumbai fans are eager to know if Pandya will be back in their next clash against Rajasthan on Tuesday.
Hardik Pandya will be available for the RR vs MI clash
MI bowling coach Paras Mhambrey confirmed that Pandya is fit to play against RR in their next clash.
“Hardik Pandya will be available for tomorrow’s game. He wasn’t injured; he was unwell. He is fit and fine now,” he told Cricbuzz.
Pandya showed good form in the opening game against KKR, scoring an unbeaten 18 runs and picking one wicket in MI’s victory. Due to Pandya’s absence from the previous game, MI made a couple of changes to the playing XI. Deepak Chahar and Corbin Bosch were added, while Trent Boult was benched.
Meanwhile, MI will aim for a big comeback after their previous defeat against Delhi Capitals (DC). However, RR have been unbeaten in both games so far and can pose a big challenge. With two points, MI currently take the sixth spot in the points table.
Why did Hardik Pandya miss DC vs MI clash?
Pandya missed the game as he was not well.
Who is the captain of Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026?
Hardik Pandya is the captain of the team.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.