No Hardik Pandya trade for Mumbai Indians despite early elimination:Bumrah likely to captain MI today against Punjab in Dharamshala

There has been another major development in the Mumbai Indians camp as both their captain and stand-in captain, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, are unlikely to play the match against the Punjab Kings in Dharamshala today. With the absence of both these players, there is an expectation of another player leading the side at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium. However, what’s worth noting that is that despite being eliminated from the playoff race, the Mumbai Indians will not trade their skipper Hardik Pandya, contrary to reports that have been circulating in the media and on social media. No Hardik Pandya trade for MI despite backlash Despite Hardik Pandya missing the Mumbai Indians’ previous two games in Mumbai and Raipur, along with the team’s poor performance this season, the MI franchise will not trade their captain after this edition of IPL. Cricbuzz’s sources associated with the franchise have confirmed that MI are not even entertaining the thought of Pandya going to another team in future, even though the franchise got him from the Gujarat Titans in a high-profile trade in 2023. It’s worth noting that Pandya was recently seen training late into the night at Reliance Corporate Park, but the understanding is that the medical team assessing him is yet to give him full clearance. Jasprit Bumrah likely to lead the Mumbai Indians vs the PBKS today Mumbai Indians might play tonight against the Punjab Kings with a new captain. The team’s regular captain Hardik Pandya and stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav will not play in this match. Neither player has reached Dharamshala for the game. According to media reports, Jasprit Bumrah and Tilak Varma are the frontrunners for captaincy in the absence of Hardik and Surya. However, 33-year-old Bumrah is more likely to get the captaincy. Bumrah has been associated with the franchise since 2013, i.e., for the last 13 years, and has a deep understanding of the team. He has also previously captained the Indian team. While five-time winning captain Rohit Sharma is part of the team, his chances of taking over the captaincy again are slim. Surya will spend time with family Suryakumar Yadav recently became a father, and the franchise has allowed him to spend time with his family. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya is struggling with a back spasm (lower back strain). He experienced this issue during the match against Chennai on May 2. Although he was seen practising at Reliance Corporate Park, the medical team has not yet declared him fully fit. Mumbai out of playoff race In the points table, Punjab Kings are currently in fourth place with 13 points. The Mumbai Indians are in 9th place and have been eliminated from the tournament. Today’s win will take Punjab to 15 points, strengthening their position in the playoffs. This will increase pressure on teams like Chennai and Rajasthan. Although Mumbai cannot qualify, they will try to cause an upset tonight.