Mumbai Indians are not going to make it to the playoffs this season if Hardik Pandya continues to captain like he has been doing this season, feels former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary. The former batter slammed Pandya for his decisions in the field after MI lost to RR in the Indian Premier League. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Tiwary sounded frustrated with Hardik Pandya taking the new ball against Rajasthan, instead of handing the ball to the best pacer in the world – Jasprit Bumrah.
MI were hammered by RR at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Monday, 22 April, as the Sanju Samson notched a clinical win against the Mumbai side. Tiwary argued that the MI team was not fully onboard with the plans of their captain and that’s why they were hesitant to put on the afterburners when the situation needed them.
“If you have Jasprit Bumrah in the line-up why will you not bowl him in the first over? Buttler came off a hundred, Jaiswal was not in the best form, you need to give your best bowler the best chance of picking a wicket. When Hardik Pandya came in, he got hit for 2 boundaries and that took the shine away from the new ball slightly, and the margin of swing reduced. Things got easier for the batter,” Manoj Tiwary said on Cricbuzz after the conclusion of the game.
“I don’t see MI progressing in the points table because these silly mistakes are being made,” Manoj Tiwary added.
MI are currently in the 7th position in the league table with 6 points to their name.
