Hardik Pandya available for the RCB vs MI IPL 2026 match? Check details

There is great news for Mumbai Indians fans, as their captain, Hardik Pandya, has nearly recovered from his back spasm issue and is ready to captain the team once again in the match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Raipur on May 10. For the past few days, there had been persistent reports suggesting that Hardik was not fully fit; it was even rumoured that the Mumbai Indians management had advised him to rest to aid his mental recovery, and that he might not be seen in the MI jersey again this season. However, according to new reports, Hardik had merely taken a rest during the match against the Lucknow Super Giants due to his back spasm, and he is now set to return to action against RCB.

Hardik Pandya first experienced discomfort during the match against the Chennai Super Kings, which was subsequently confirmed to be a back spasm. In his absence, Suryakumar Yadav took charge of the MI squad against RCB, keeping the team's playoff hopes alive by comfortably defeating LSG.

Previous reports had suggested that Hardik Pandya had not travelled with the squad to Raipur and would miss this match as well; however, according to the latest reports, Hardik is scheduled to arrive in Raipur on May 7 and rejoin his squad.

On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav—who had taken on the responsibility of captaincy in Hardik's absence—may miss the upcoming match against RCB. There is a possibility that he may go on paternity leave, as his wife is expected to give birth to a child soon; on such a special occasion, he intends to be by his wife, Devisha Shetty's, side.

In such a scenario, the Mumbai Indians' Playing XI may undergo some forced changes. Since the start of this season, the Mumbai Indians have been constantly grappling with player injuries, which have, in turn, continuously impacted the team's combination. Apart from Hardik, Rohit Sharma also missed five matches due to a hamstring injury; he made his return in the previous match, where he delivered a magnificent performance to secure MI's third victory of the season. Meanwhile, Mitchell Santner has also been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury.

The Mumbai Indians are presently placed ninth in the standings with six points. They need to win each of the final four games to keep their chances of qualifying for the playoffs alive. If they lose even one game, they will be officially eliminated from the playoffs race.