In a close encounter between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, the fans as well as members of the cricketing community expressed dissatisfaction with Hardik Pandya’s strategies as captain during his inaugural match for Mumbai Indians.
In MI’s IPL 2024 opener loss, the stakes were raised as it showcased Hardik, who had led the Gujarat Titans to victory in the inaugural season, facing scrutiny over his leadership skills. Adding to the pressure was the transition from the esteemed Rohit Sharma to Hardik as the team’s captain.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan and Indian player Mohammed Shami, among others, shared their opinion on Hardik’s ill steps. Shami was asked to compare Hardik and the legendary Indian captain MS Dhoni in terms of their leadership abilities.
“Dhoni is Dhoni. You cannot match someone else. Everyone has a different mindset, whether it is Dhoni or Kohli,” Shami said on Cricbuzz.
He then proceeded to pinpoint particular tactical mistakes made by Hardik during the game and said, “You should stay in the game depending on your skill. You batted at No. 3 and 4 in the last two seasons. You are used to that position. You can at the most at No. 5, but not at No. 7.”
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan also questioned the captaincy of Hardik Pandya and said, “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.”
