IPL 2026: ‘Bet nobody saw that coming’ - Harsha Bhogle stunned by Mumbai Indians' struggle

Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle has expressed surprise over the Mumbai Indians’ disappointing campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, stating that very few would have anticipated the five-time champions MI missing out on the playoffs.

Highlighting Hardik Pandya-led side’s struggles, Bhogle highlighted that the franchise entered the season as one of the favourites, given their strong squad depth and history of delivering under pressure. However, a string of inconsistent performances and failure to capitalise on key moments have seen them slip down the points table.

“I must confess I didn't see a team, as studded with stars as #MumbaiIndians is, come apart like this. The only possible indicator could have been that, Bumrah apart, the others hadn't had an outstanding T20WC. But nobody could have predicted this,” he wrote on X (previously Twitter).

The Hardik Pandya-led side has particularly struggled to click as a unit, with both their batting and bowling departments lacking consistency throughout the tournament. Despite boasting several proven match-winners, MI have failed to string together victories, ultimately denting their playoff hopes.

“I had thought aloud about a hypothesis on my YT channel that reputation is becoming a burden in modern T20 cricket as a possible reason. I don't know if all the forces within were aligned but that could be another. And the experiment with Hardik Pandya as captain is now 3 years old and it has delivered a play-off only once so maybe something isn't working there. But I bet nobody saw MI not making the play-offs,” Harsha Bhogle concluded. 

Bhogle’s remarks reflect the general sentiment around the league, where MI’s underwhelming run has come as one of the biggest surprises of the season despite having stalwarts of the league such as Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Trent Boult.

Despite winning their opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders, nothing has gone in their favour since then. They currently are in ninth position at the points table with just two wins and seven losses. MI will now take on the Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on May 4 to stay alive in the league.