IPL 2018: MI coach Mahela Jayawardene asks Hardik Pandya to improve his game for the rest of the season

Mumbai Indian will next play Chennai Super Kings on 28 April.

Hardik pandya has not delivered with the bat yet for MI in this season. (AFP)

Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene was critical at his young brigade especially all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Wednesday (25 April), saying the youngster needs to work hard to do well in the IPL 2018, as the talent is not enough to go ahead in the game.

Pandya, who was one of the three players retained by the MI for the 11th edition of the T20 event, has seen out of touch in the ongoing IPL, as the Baroda man has just 48 runs from five games.

The 24-year-old’s another poor display with the willow came (3 runs off 19 balls) in MI’s 31-run loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at home while chasing 118 runs on Tuesday (24 April).

So far in the IPL 2018, Mumbai suffered four last-over defeats out of their first five games, and Jayawardene has lashed out at his youngsters for their horrible show in the tournament.

As per reports in Press Trust of India, MI coach said, “Every year you can’t bat the same way, if people don’t evolve and improve, there is no progress. Young guys like Hardik will learn that and need to work harder; the talent alone will not get you.”

The Sri Lankan great further added, “Leading the game and thinking about the game, that’s the part they need to keep learning and especially with good international bowlers coming and doing various things you have to evolve otherwise you won’t be able to be consistent.”

He is highly disappointed with MI’s display against the SRH, who have stunned Mumbai in front of their home crowd by bowled out them for 87 in 18.5 overs at the Wankhede Stadium.

The coach further added, “We have put ourselves in this situation, there is no one else to blame. Today I am disappointed, some of the matches we lost, I thought we played good cricket, they could have gone either way, it is T20 cricket. (But) today was very disappointing.”

Jayawardene signed off by saying, “We just probably played the wicket thinking there is going to be demons out there and nothing much and we have just have to knock it around, did not take any responsibility, so that part quite disappointing, the dew came in as we expected after 10 overs, so no one took responsibility that is quite sad.”

 

 

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 26 Apr, 2018

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