'Surya not being captain is a concern': Ashwin’s blunt verdict on MI captaincy
Ravichandran Ashwin believes Suryakumar Yadav should captain Mumbai Indians, citing his unbeaten T20I record and World Cup triumph. Despite Hardik Pandya's past success with Gujarat Titans, Ashwin feels Suryakumar's current leadership of India makes him the more logical choice for MI. The franchise faces a leadership dilemma as the IPL 2026 season approaches.
With the Indian Premier League 2026 set to begin on March 28, Ravichandran Ashwin has raised a key concern surrounding Mumbai Indians and their leadership structure. The veteran off-spinner believes Suryakumar Yadav should have been entrusted with the captaincy, particularly after guiding India to their third T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year. The franchise had handed over leadership duties to Hardik Pandya following his high-profile move from Gujarat Titans ahead of the 2024 season.
However, Mumbai’s title drought since 2020 has continued, and the leadership shift — which also saw Rohit Sharma replaced — sparked widespread debate. Hardik’s appointment triggered a strong backlash during IPL 2024, with fans openly expressing their displeasure at multiple venues. Despite that, he managed to turn sentiment in his favour by playing a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup success, ending a long wait for an ICC trophy.
In IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians showed improvement by reaching the playoffs, but their journey ended with a defeat in Qualifier 2 against Punjab Kings. Ashwin, however, feels the bigger issue lies in overlooking Suryakumar’s recent achievements as a leader. Since taking charge of India’s T20I side in July 2024, the team has remained unbeaten in bilateral series, culminating in the World Cup victory.
“Suryakumar Yadav not being the captain of the Mumbai Indians is a no-brainer. Usko captaincy dena hi chahiye (He should definitely be the captain). And the fact that it isn’t happening, I’m sure, is a bit of a concern,” Ashwin said on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat.