WATCH: Hardik Pandya lays down ‘two options’ after MI’s third straight loss in IPL 2026

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Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya struck a serious and reflective tone after his team’s disappointing run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, following a third consecutive defeat. The five-time champions were outplayed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, leaving the dressing room subdued and searching for answers.

In a moment that quickly caught fans’ attention, Pandya addressed the entire squad post-match, laying out what he described as “two options” moving forward. His message, delivered with clarity and intent, reflected both frustration and a desire to rebuild the team’s mindset during a challenging phase.

The contest itself was a high-scoring affair, dominated by RCB’s top order. Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, and Rajat Patidar powered Bengaluru to a daunting total of 240, putting immense pressure on Mumbai’s bowling attack.

Chasing a steep target, MI never truly found momentum. While Sherfane Rutherford produced a spirited knock, taking on the RCB bowlers with aggressive strokeplay, his lone effort wasn’t enough to turn the tide. Mumbai eventually fell short by 18 runs, a result that further exposed inconsistencies in both batting depth and bowling execution.

Following the defeat, Pandya echoed sentiments earlier expressed by head coach Mahela Jayawardene, urging players to decide how they want to respond to adversity.

According to Pandya, the squad could either retreat into isolation and dwell on mistakes or come together collectively to confront the situation. He emphasized learning over despair, encouraging the team to treat setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than failures.

In his dressing room speech, Pandya highlighted the importance of staying connected as a unit, suggesting that the team regroup over a shared meal to reflect not just on cricket but also to rebuild camaraderie. His words underlined a belief that unity and open communication could help MI navigate their rough patch.

“Thinking from what MJ said, I think here there are two options we can do. One is go back in our rooms, go back into our cocoon spaces and try to figure it out. I know it’s tough losing but let’s learn… let’s not get disappeared. But let’s learn. It’s always winning and learning, never losing. So let’s do that. That’s something which tonight after the game, once we go back to hotel, let’s have a meal together, we’ll talk about cricket. We’ll talk about something else but we’ll figure it out,” Hardik said in the dressing room.

Also WATCH: IPL 2026 – Krunal Pandya’s over the top celebrations on Hardik Pandya’s dismissal during MI vs RCB clash

"𝘓𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴" – Captain HP's message to the team! 💙

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 13, 2026

Also READ: Fans speculate rift between Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya after MI vs RCB IPL 2026 match