India, May 15 -- It was expected to be the return of the prodigal son - or at least the narrative Mumbai Indians hoped to build. Instead, Hardik Pandya emerged as one of the most controversial figures in the franchise over the last three seasons.

He was booed by home fans, mercilessly trolled on social media and written off by several experts after Mumbai finished bottom of the table in his first season as captain in 2024. Hardik responded strongly in 2025, leading the side to the playoffs, where they reached Qualifier 2. But a year later, the criticism has returned.

Another disappointing campaign for Mumbai Indians, who were eliminated early from the playoff race after losing eight of their 11 matches, once again put Hardik under scrut...