After a terrible IPL 2026 season, Hardik Pandya and the Mumbai Indians (MI) are said to have split up. For the second time in three seasons as team captain, Hardik Pandya was unable to lead MI to the postseason.
In 2024, Pandya took over as captain of MI, succeeding the well-liked Rohit Sharma. However, the team finished 10th and did not qualify for the playoffs. Things slightly improved in IPL 2025 when MI qualified for the playoffs, but things got worse in IPL 2026 as Mi ended ninth. Therefore, there is a possibility that MI may have a new captain in the 2027 Indian Premier League, and we examine three such contenders.
Here are the 3 players who can be the new captain for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2027:
3. Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah is one of the contenders for Mumbai Indians captaincy, as he made his leadership debut in IPL 2026. Bumrah has captained India in Tests and T20Is with success and has a very good cricketing brain. He is extremely smart as a bowler and is part of MI’s leadership group. The only thing stopping him from becoming captain is his fitness concerns. Bumrah has a fragile back and might have to sit out a couple of games in an IPL season, making him not a viable choice for captain.
2. Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20 World Cup 2026 and unbeaten captain, can be an excellent choice for the next Mumbai Indians captain. Suryakumar Yadav is only 35 and can lead the MI side for the next 3-year cycle of the IPL till the 2029 IPL mega auction. This is a very good stopgap arrangement for MI captaincy until someone younger can be prepped to take on the responsibility for a longer term. Suryakumar Yadav has a proven pedigree as captain, and that too for India, and can restore the lost glory of the MI side.
1. Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma is someone that Mumbai Indians should punt on if they want a captain for a long time. Tilak is only 23 years old and can easily captain MI for the next 10-12 years, like Rohit Sharma did. Tilak has proven he has captaincy genes, as he is the India T20I vice-captain. One thing that MI can do is make Tilak Varma vice-captain of the side and give him experience for one IPL cycle and prepare him to take over full-time.
