Hardik Pandya Instagram row deepens; Mumbai Indians captain accused of disrespecting franchise, delivering ‘low blow’

Hardik Pandya’s reported Instagram activity reached English shores, with some greats calling it the ultimate act of disrespect.

Updated on: May 13, 2026, 13:56:01 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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Hardik Pandya apparently made his displeasure known when he reportedly unfollowed the Mumbai Indians on Instagram before following them back after the team’s last-ball defeat to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday. Then again, “apparently” is the key word here. With no screenshots or concrete proof, it could all just be a rumour. But then again, given how the IPL 2026 season has unravelled for MI, the possibility cannot be ruled out either. Hardik has missed the last three games, and while the management has attributed it to back spasm, the fact that Pandya shared a video of training alone in the nets, seemingly in no discomfort, at 1:30 AM has added a whole new layer of intrigue to the situation.

Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah in conversation (AFP)

Nonetheless, the development has reached English shores, with Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook taking note. In a recent episode of the Stick to Cricket podcast, the two former captains discussed the Pandya Instagram ‘drama’, as the YouTube title suggested, calling it absolute disrespect towards the franchise.

Also Read: Hardik Pandya better off without Mumbai Indians; Lucknow, Delhi, Kolkata ready to welcome him with open arms

“That’s a big diss in the modern world, isn’t it?” said Cook on reports of Hardik unfollowing MI, to which Vaughan added, “That’s a low blow”. Cook wondered whether Hardik’s injury was legit, and in response, Vaughan said, “he was injured, but they lost to RCB off the last ball”.

‘Worst performance by a team in any tournament’

As the other two former cricketers, Phil Tufnell and David Lloyd, took playful potshots at the entire row, Vaughan added, “That’s the ultimate disrespect.” Reflecting on Hardik’s trade to the Mumbai Indians from the Gujarat Titans in late 2023, Vaughan admitted he was stunned by the five-time champions’ decline. The loss to RCB knocked MI out of this season’s Playoffs race, making them the second team after Lucknow Super Giants to be eliminated.

“He went to Gujarat and won it. Mumbai brought him but they’ve had an absolute stinker. I reckon, with that team and that group of players, I think it’s the worst performance by a team in any tournament. Name me a worse performance by a group that talented. They’ve got Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah,” added Vaughan.

This is the fourth time in the last six years that MI have failed to reach the IPL Playoffs. They made it to the top four in 2023 and 2025 while finishing with the wooden spoon in 2022 and 2024. They are currently second from bottom and, with three games left, risk ending last yet again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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