Hardik Pandya (ANI Photo) NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya gave a major hint of his whereabouts through his latest Instagram story where the star all-rounder was seen training at the Reliance facility in Mumbai amid doubts over his availability for MI’s next IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on Thursday.The all-rounder, who missed Mumbai Indians’ previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru due to back spasms, shared visuals of him working out, suggesting that he is gradually working his way back to fitness.
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Why Suryakumar Yadav Will Lose India T20I Captaincy: Everything You Need To KnowHowever, despite resuming training, Hardik did not travel with the initial batch of MI players to Dharamsala on Tuesday, according to a report from Cricbuzz.His absence from the traveling squad again cast doubt on his participation ahead of Wednesday’s game. MI support personnel are said to be continuing to monitor his condition before taking a final call on whether he will join the unit later.
Hardik Pandya’s Instagram Story
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene had earlier confirmed that Hardik is struggling with his back and remains under treatment.“Hardik had a back problem which we were trying to fix but it hasn’t resolved yet. The doctors were working on him. He couldn’t train for the last few days so we didn’t want to take any chances,” Jayawardene said after MI’s loss to RCB.He further added: “We’ll see. It’s day by day. See how he feels. And then we’ll decide.”With MI already knocked out of the IPL 2026 playoff race, the franchise is unlikely to rush their captain back without a full eligibility check. Still, Hardik’s latest training update has sparked optimism among fans and it remains to be seen whether he will join the squad ahead of the Punjab Kings game.
