"He is looking for easy ways to come back to form" - Irfan Pathan outlines concerns regarding Hardik Pandya in IPL 2024
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has alleged that Hardik Pandya is the weak link of the Mumbai Indians amid their struggles in IPL 2024. The former T20 World Cup-winning member observed that the all-rounder is finding easy ways of returning to form.
Pandya's form with both the bat and the ball has been concerning, given he is yet to score a half-century. The 30-year-old has managed only 151 runs in eight matches at 21.57 with a best score of 39.
Speaking in a video uploaded on his Instagram account, Pathan expressed concern about Pandya's diminishing power-hitting abilities, especially with the T20 World Cup fast approaching. He said:
"Mumbai Indians is still a very good team on paper but being managed very poorly. Especially, if Hardik Pandya as a leader lacks form, he will become a weak link for his own team. What I am most worried about is that he is affecting his own hitting abilities. This is a matter of concern – even for the Indian team.
"It seems as if he is looking for easy ways to come back to form and wants to keep himself in a comfortable position. And that is how he will not be able to win the respect of his team and teammates."
The Baroda-born cricketer made a run-a-ball 10 against the Rajasthan Royals on Monday in Jaipur and bowled two wicketless overs as the Mumbai Indians succumbed to another loss.
"We didn't finish well and that's why we were 10-15 runs short" - Hardik Pandya
Following a nine-wicket loss to the Royals on Monday, the seam-bowling all-rounder rued the loss of wickets by Mumbai and pointed out their poor fielding. He said at the post-match presentation:
"We put ourselves in trouble early on. The way Tilak and Nehal batted - that was fantastic. I don't think that when we lost a couple of wickets early we thought we would even reach 180. We didn't finish well and that's why we were 10-15 runs short. We had to keep it within the stumps (while bowling).
"Early on in the powerplay, we gave a lot of width and I don't think it was our best day in the field as well. Overall, we did not put the right foot on the park and eventually they outplayed us."
Mumbai Indians have so far beaten only the Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS).