Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has launched a scathing critique of Hardik Pandya‘s captaincy debut for the Mumbai Indians (MI), following their narrow defeat against the Gujarat Titans (GT) on Sunday.
Bowling Blunders?
Pathan identified two key decisions by Hardik Pandya that he believes cost MI the game:
- Holding Back Bumrah: Instead of utilizing the experienced Jasprit Bumrah with the new ball, Pandya opted to bowl himself, conceding 20 runs in his first two overs. Bumrah, when finally introduced in the fourth over, showcased his prowess with a brilliant spell (3/14).
- Questionable Batting Order: While chasing a target, Pandya sent Australian all-rounder Tim David ahead of himself. Pathan believes this was a mistake, suggesting Pandya might have been hesitant to face the wily leg-spinner Rashid Khan himself. David only managed 11 runs from 10 balls.
Irfan Pathan on Hardik Pandya captaincy
“Hardik Pandya made big mistakes in the match,” Irfan Pathan asserted. He questioned the decision to hold back Bumrah and expressed his disapproval of promoting David:
“I won’t agree with sending an overseas player under pressure against Rashid when an experienced Indian batter was available.”
GT Clinch Thrilling Victory
Despite Pandya’s late flourish with the bat (18 runs off 8 balls), MI fell short of the target by 6 runs. Umesh Yadav’s composure in the final over, taking two wickets after Pandya’s six and four off the first two balls, sealed the win for the Gujarat Titans. This maintains GT’s perfect record against MI at their home ground.
Hardik Pandya captaincy under scrutiny
Pathan’s criticism throws shade on Hardik Pandya’s leadership qualities after his first match at the helm. Whether Hardik Pandya can learn from these pointed observations and guide MI to success in the remaining matches remains to be seen.
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