Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya bagged a couple of wickets but he was far from impressive against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Hardik faltered with the ball, bat and with his decision-making as well in MI’s 20-run loss to CSK. Hardik's tactics left former England cricketer-turned-commentator Kevin Pietersen baffled but he was more concerned about the all-rounder's well being.
Pietersen said that Hardik did not have a backup plan once his fast bowlers went for runs. He wanted him to introduce spinners as they were not bashed around the park by CSK batters.
"What I saw this evening wasn't good enough. I saw a captain that had plan A from a team meeting that was five hours ago and a captain that didn't want to go to plan B when he should have gone to plan B. Like how on this Earth have you not bowled a spinner when your seamers are going for 20. Brian Lara said can we please bowl a spinner? Somebody needs to bowl here. You need to change the pace of the game," Pietersen said on Star Sports.
Pietersen said that Hardik is faking his smile at the coin toss and the booing his affecting him whether he agrees with it or not. He recalled when he was in firing line as well and how it had an impact on his game.
"I actually think with Hardik Pandya everything away from the game is affecting him so much. He's smiling too much when he does the toss, he's trying to act like he's so happy. He's not happy. I've been there. I've been in the firing line and I've been in the firing line proper, he knows I've been in the firing line, you know, I've been in the firing line and I can tell you now, it affects you," he added.
Pietersen also said that the cheering from the crowd when MS Dhoni smashed three consecutive sixes in the final over must have hurt him as well.
"If what's happening to Hardik Pandya, the boos that we've just been hearing now and how happy they are to see the CSK former captain, the lion (MS Dhoni) smacking him all over the park, it hurts you because he has emotion and he's an Indian player. And he doesn't want to be treated like this. So when this is happening, it's affecting him. It's affecting his cricket and something needs to happen," he concluded.
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