Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya has been on the receiving end of widespread criticism once again. Against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, Hardik took the responsibility of bowling the last over himself. Also, he under-bowled his spinners when MI pacers barring Jasprit Bumrah were getting hit for boundaries.
Gavaskar fumed at Hardik for bowling with an ordinary strategy to former CSK skipper MS Dhoni who blasted him for three consecutive sixes in the final over and took his team’s score to 206/4.
"Probably the worst kind of bowling that I've seen for a long, long time. It almost looks like I've had this embrace with my hero. I've got a bowling kind of deliveries that he's gonna hit for sixes. One 6 is fine. The next one again a length ball when you know that this batter is looking for a length ball to hit. The third ball again, a full toss on the leg side and he's looking for it and hits it for a 6. Absolutely ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy," Gavaskar said on Star Sports during the mid-innings break.
Dhoni contributed with an extraordinary cameo of 20 runs from just four deliveries. Conversely, Hardik got the wicket of Daryl Mitchell after a couple of wides in the final over but went for plenty. He conceded 43 runs from three overs and bagged two wickets. His first scalp was CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad who scored 69 runs from 40 balls including five fours and as many sixes. The all-rounder was below-par with the bat too. He managed to score just two runs from six balls and lost his wicket to Tushar Deshpande.
Hardik lauds Pathirana, justifies underuse of spinners
Hardik credited Matheesha Pathirana and Dhoni’s tactics from behind the stumps for CSK's 20-run win despite Rohit Sharma's unbeaten 105.
“It (target) was definitely gettable, but they bowled pretty well. Pathirana was the difference. They were smart with the plans and their approach. They got the hang of it, there's a man behind the stumps (Dhoni) who tells them what's working, that helps,” he said in the post-match presentation.
Hardik also explained why he chose not to introduce spinners in the middle overs while pacers were taken to the cleaners.
“It was about what is best at that time, we could have done something different. I like to play percentage cricket, it would have been difficult for him (Dube) against seamers rather than spin,” said the 30-year-old.
MI slipped to eighth position on the points table with four losses from six games. They will take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their next clash on April 18.
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