It is only a matter of time until Hardik Pandya hits form in the IPL, warned Kieron Pollard, saying he was “sick and fed up” with the flak leveled at the all-rounder.
Hardik has copped plenty of flak for almost anything and everything that he has done – bowling, batting, captaincy, making decisions – just because the public feels Rohit Sharma should still be captaining the Mumbai Indians.
And on Sunday, the skipper came in the firing line when he leaked 26 runs in the last over, getting hammered for three sixes in a row by the evergreen MS Dhoni. Here are remarks from Pollard on Hardik’s performance in IPL.
Pollard on Pandya’s Batting Approach
Mumbai batting coach Pollard gave his full support afterward to Hardik Pandya. He, who captained Gujarat to the IPL title in 2022 is expected to be a key player for India at the T20 World Cup in June.
“I am sick and fed up of (people) looking to pinpoint individuals,” Pollard said after Mumbai’s 20-run loss at their Wankhede Stadium. Cricket is a team game at the end of the day.
“This is an individual that is going to represent the country in less than six weeks, and all are going to cheer him and want him to do well.”
Pandya leaked 26 runs in the final over of Chennai’s innings including three straight sixes by M.S. Dhoni. The all-rounder then scored just two with the bat in the hosts’ unsuccessful chase of 207. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar was scathing.
“Ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy,” Pollard told Star Sports.
Pandya has been under the cosh ever since returning to Mumbai from Gujarat and taking over the captaincy from the much-loved Rohit. Rohit, 36, who leads India in all formats, is an icon in Mumbai after leading them to five IPL titles.
Also Read: Rohit Sharma Reveals Huge Secret About Indian Legend
Pollard said it was “high time we try to encourage and stop nitpicking and see if we can get the best out of one of the great all-rounders India has produced. He can bat, bowl, and field, and has an X-factor about him,” said the former West Indies all-rounder of Pandya.
“I hope very well deep down within my heart that when he comes out on top, I’ll sit back and watch everyone sing his praises.”, Kieron Pollard added.
Tom Moody’s Words on Pandya’s Captaincy
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut, former Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody felt Hardik has the right support staff at Mumbai.
“As good a player Hardik Pandya is, he has got to earn the respect of the dressing room and his fans,” Moody said.
“He’s finding that difficult because no one’s letting him in at the moment. What would have made it easier is if they would have won their first three games in a row, and it would have been business as usual. We wouldn’t be this far down the road with regards to talking about it.”
About Author
Zartash Zulfiqar is a passionate cricket writer with a love for cricket that shines through in every word. From match analyses to player profiles, she delivers insightful commentary that resonates with fans worldwide. Stay tuned for the latest from the world of cricket, brought to you by Zartash.
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
