Veteran Indian fast bowler Irfan Pathan wasn't impressed with Hardik Pandya's captaincy debut for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League's (IPL) 2024 clash against Gujarat Titans. This comes after the Mumbai Indians suffered a dramatic collapse while chasing a target against the Shubman Gill-led GT in Ahmedabad on March 24. The chase seemed manageable for Mumbai, needing just 39 runs from the last four overs with six wickets remaining. However, a disastrous batting display led to a loss by six runs, falling short of the 169-run target. This extended Mumbai's unwanted streak of losing their opening IPL match for the 12th year in a row, even under new leadership.
The collapse was particularly concerning. Mumbai lost their last five wickets for a meager 32 runs, highlighting questionable decision-making during the chase. While Hardik Pandya displayed some fighting spirit with the bat in the final over, it wasn't enough to salvage the match for his team.
Irfan Pathan slams Hardik Pandya's captaincy acumen
Mumbai Indians' chase against the Gujarat Titans took a controversial turn when captain Hardik Pandya decided to send Tim David in at number 6, with only 43 runs needed in the final 5 overs. This decision drew criticism from former Indian fast bowler Irfan Pathan.
Pathan speculated that Pandya's long absence from competitive cricket, nearly five months, might have influenced this choice. He suggested that Pandya might have been hesitant to face the in-form Afghan spinner Rashid Khan in the crucial death overs.
"Hardik Pandya made big mistakes in the match. In the powerplay, he bowled 2 overs himself, that was a big mistake. He brought Jasprit Bumrah into the attack a bit late," Irfan Pathan said after the match.
Hardik Pandya's strategic error cost MI match vs GT
Tim David, known for his power hitting, failed to live up to the expectations under pressure. He struggled against Rashid Khan in the 16th over, scoring just four runs. This tight bowling by Rashid turned the momentum towards the Gujarat Titans. Mohit Sharma followed up with two economical overs, further tightening the noose. Needing 19 runs in the final over, Hardik Pandya finally came to the crease at number 7. He smashed a six and a four off the first two balls, raising hopes for a thrilling finish. However, Umesh Yadav had the last laugh, dismissing Pandya and sealing a 6-run victory for the Gujarat Titans.
“And secondly, when they were chasing, they sent Tim David higher up the order. He sent Tim David when Rashid Khan had an over left. I felt Hardik Pandya maybe didn't want to face Rashid Khan after having not played cricket for a long time. This could be the case. I won't agree with the fact that there was an experienced Indian batter sitting in the dressing room and sent an overseas player under pressure against Rashid,” Pathan concluded.
In his post-match interview with the broadcasters, Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya pinpointed the specific moment where the game swung in Gujarat Titans' favor.
“Obviously, we backed ourselves to chase those 42 runs but it was one of those days when we see the score quite less compared to what it could have been in five overs, I think we lost a little bit of momentum there,” Pandya said after the match.
“It feels good to be back because this is one stadium where you can enjoy and feel the atmosphere quite lively and obviously the crowd was full and they got a good game as well. (On Tilak not taking the single vs Rashid) I think Tilak felt that that was a better idea at that point of time, I completely back him, not an issue, 13 games to go,” Hardik Pandya further added.
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