Hardik Pandya’s captaincy stint for Mumbai Indians (MI) has got off to a terrible start. The all-rounder completed a high-profile trade from Gujarat Titans (GT) to MI ahead of IPL 2024 and replaced Rohit Sharma as skipper.
Under Hardik’s leadership, the five-time champions have lost four of their six games so far. They are currently holding the eighth spot in the 10-team points table.
Amid the dismal campaign, former India cricketer Irfan Pathan on Monday (April 15) questioned Hardik Pandya's captaincy skills, saying that his inability to adjust to match situations and failure to come up with a proper plan has cost MI in the ongoing IPL.
"Hardik needs to manage MI really well. Whenever MI lost, Pandya had a big role to play," Pathan said on Star Sports Pressroom.
"Even yesterday, Akash Madhwal didn't bowl the last over, you need to give responsibility to him. When Shreyas Gopal got the wicket of Rachin Ravindra, why didn't you give him another over? He only bowled one over... there was some slowness in the pitch and you need to adapt quickly, unfortunately, Pandya has not been able to adapt so far," he added.
Hardik produced great results while leading Gujarat Titans in the last two seasons. His association with coach Ashish Nehra saw GT winning the IPL in 2022 and reaching the final last year.
Asked if Nehra's impact does show, Pathan said: "... it was there, his effect is helping Shubman Gill too but do you think MI support staff is not helping him? They are trying to help, it is up to Hardik Pandya.
"He needs to make sure he has Plan A, Plan B. He needs to be aware of the situation. He is not a newbie, he has been playing for so many years. If he is not going to use his own experience and be smart about it, he will be found out and that is what is happening right now."
On a separate note, Irfan Pathan advocated for Shivam Dube’s inclusion in India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Playing for CSK, Dube has registered of 34*, 51, 18, 45, 28 and 66* in six innings so far.
"Eventually there will be a time when Shivam Dube will put pressure on Pandya, the kind of hitting ability that Dube has, the way he has murdered the spinners, no one comes closer to him in Indian batting in the middle order, he is the best now," Pathan opined.
"I will be highly disappointed if he doesn't go to the World Cup. We have missed a guy like him, someone like Yuvraj Singh who can hit six sixes, he plays fearlessly from the word go. I haven't seen anything like that.
"Yes, Hardik's ability as a hitter has gone down and that is why a lot of people are talking about him. It might happen that both will take the flight to the World Cup but I am excited about Dube and what he can bring to the table."
Talking about India's bowling line-up in the World Cup, Pathan said selectors need to pick a gun left-arm pacer and a wrist spinner.
"I want selectors to have an in-form bowling line-up, you will have (Jasprit) Bumrah, probably a left-arm spinner in Jadeja or Axar Patel, a good wrist spinner, who will be wicket-taker in the middle overs. Get a gun left-armer who is in form, which we missed so many years now. If Arshdeep Singh can bowl like he is doing but also keep an eye on Mohsin Khan."
There has been a lot of debate about Virat Kohli's low strike rate this IPL but Pathan said the focus should not only be on strike rate when it comes to picking a batter.
"Kohli's strike rate is slightly better than Chris Gayle in international T20s, close to 138. Strike rates of Hardik Pandya, and Rohit Sharma is 139, we don't talk about them.
"You need to make it strike-rate plus average, you can't have the same yardstick for all players."
Pathan feels Indian cricket has to think about the Impact Player rule going forward as it is affecting the progress of all-rounders.
"This rule is not that great for Indian cricket in the long term, see Venkatesh Iyer, Shivam Dube is not bowling, lots of all-rounders are not able to bowl. You want the youngsters to be part of the game," he said.
"I am really worried about the allrounder, eventually going forward we will have to think about this aspect. Yes, impact rule is benefitting the entertainment part of cricket but Indian cricket has to think about it going forward as far as allrounders are concerned."
(With PTI Inputs)
