The pressure on Hardik Pandya only increased significantly after Mumbai Indians were trounced by the Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 27 (Wednesday). After Mumbai choked against Gujarat Giants in their match of the 2024 Indian Premier League and lost a very winnable game, the Hardik-led franchise suffered major embarrassment in their second match of the season against the Sunrisers. Mumbai Indians secured the unwanted record of conceding the most runs by a team in IPL history as the Sunrisers posted a score of 277/3 in their 20 overs.
While Captain Hardik looked clueless on the field while marshaling his troops and shuffling his bowlers, his knock with the bat left much to be desired, to say the least. In a run chase where Mumbai required batters to bat explosively right from the onset, Hardik scored 24 runs off 20 balls with the help of one four and as many six.
Former India all-rounder Yusuf Pathan was unimpressed with Hardik's effort with the bat and he took to X to voice his displeasure.
"If the whole team is playing with the strike of 200, Captain can’t bat with the batting strike rate of 120," wrote Irfan.
Irfan also criticised Hardik's captaincy, particularly his decision to hold back Jasprit Bumrah when the carnage was in full effect and Mumbai were desperate for a wicket.
"The captaincy of Hardik Pandya has been ordinary to say the least. Keeping Bumrah away for too long when the carnage was on was beyond my understanding," wrote Irfan in a separate tweet.
Yusuf criticises Hardik Pandya
Irfan's elder brother Yusuf Pathan also lashed out at Hardik's captaincy as he too was perplexed with the Mumbai captain's decision to hold back Bumrah for the back end of the innings.
"Can't understand the strategy behind the skipper keeping a spinner to bowl last over #SRHvMI," Yusuf wrote on X.
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