Ravichandran Ashwin defended Hardik Pandya, deeming it unfair to solely blame him for Mumbai Indians' poor IPL 2026 season. Ashwin highlighted Pandya's past success at Gujarat Titans and suggested the team as a whole failed to perform. He also expressed concern over Pandya's batting timing, hinting at potential physical issues for the 'once-in-a-generation' all-rounder.