IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians fear multiple dressing room ‘leaks’

Mumbai Indians endured a forgettable IPL 2026, with the five-time champions battling dressing room turbulence throughout the season. However, locker room riots are nothing new. As reported by TimesofIndia.com earlier, the franchise has been struggling ever since Hardik Pandya took over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma. But more than the restlessness, the constant stream of “leaks” from the dressing rooms of a key character within the franchise has been frustrating. Even industry insiders are surprised by how events have unfolded in recent seasons and how consistently the sanctity of the locker room has been threatened. “Differences exist in almost every dressing room, but divisions and bitterness in Mumbai Indians have been unusually high since Hardik came back. It doesn’t take an expert to see what’s going on, but for a franchise like Mumbai (Indians), which has always valued its core groups, constant leakages are a major problem. It’s a strong word. The captain of the dressing room and dressing room, that’s more legends, but the dressing room was never like that,” said a source watching. development.Over the past three seasons, the leaks have only intensified, and sensitive information has spread quickly — discussions in team meetings and strategic discussions about key players. Before top brass maps out a way forward, the immediate focus could be plugging those leaks. An ’emoji episode’-like approach is likely as Mumbai Indians want to avoid more private matters becoming public.“These things don’t sit well with the management. A lot of public drama developed after some players posted emojis on social media and it hasn’t stopped since. Whether it’s the visible division in the dressing room, the body language on the pitch or the way the game is played, the problems are obvious. If the players think they can take MI for a ride, they all need to reconsider to get everyone back, and the priorities are too long. It seems to show attendance,” he adds. resource.Ever since Mumbai Indians fell out of playoff contention, there have been questions surrounding the management. But that alone hasn’t caused the franchise to decline in recent seasons. Tough decisions are expected in the coming months as senior players return from breaks and international commitments. There are a few issues in the game, but the locker room leaks will be fixed first. It is understood that the management has identified the problem and is ready to act decisively to restore the glory days of the franchise. Tough talks are expected with some star players to get the house back in order.