'Hardik has really struggled; he's looked like a man under pressure. That has created a little turmoil in the air.'
India vice-captain Hardik Pandya looks drained, flattened, under pressure and Mumbai Indians appear like a confused unit under him, reckon former cricket stars Aaron Finch and Greame Smith.
As the five-time champions continue to struggle in IPL 2024, Pandya once again walked out to loud boos around the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Friday in yet another disappointing outing against Kolkata Knight Riders, which they lost by 24 runs.
Mumbai Indians began the contest on a positive note, snaffling five quick wickets to leave KKR reeling at 57 for 5, but the visitors fought back to post 169 on the board.
In reply, Mumbai crashed for 145 in 18.5 overs despite Suryakumar Yadav's 56.
Pandya lasted only two deliveries as Mumbai's batters once again cut a sorry figure on a two-paced track and succumbed to their eighth defeat in 11 matches this season.
"He just looks really flattened at the moment; he looks really drained and someone who is feeling the pressure. I feel for him. I have been in that situation myself where everything that you're trying personally doesn't seem to be working," Finch was quoted as saying by Star Sports.
"When the team isn't performing as well, that is a very difficult place to be in. It one thing where you're not performing and the team is winning — that is something you'd take as a captain. You bear all responsibility as captain for the team's performance and that is an incredibly hard place to be, particularly in this competition where it's so brutal," Finch added.
The former Australia opener conceded Mumbai Indians should have got over the line chasing 170 at a ground considered a haven for batters.
"You would expect them to chase 170 with the dew falling at the Wankhede stadium. It's a beautiful place to bat, generally. Yes, it was a bit uncharacteristic in the way it turned a bit more two-paced than what we have seen in the past," Finch said.
South Africa's legendary captain Graeme Smith said MI have been a 'confused team' under Pandya with plenty of changes being made with the personnel.
"Hardik has really struggled; he's looked like a man under pressure. That has created a little turmoil in the air. Who knows how that has affected the people. But even the batting line-up, they look like they're confused.
"Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir were fighting in the middle order, Dhir was batting at No 3, and Hardik moving all over the place. They should have had Tilak at (number) 3, Sky at 4, and Hardik batting at 5 throughout the season, with David at 6. Then, figure out your bowling units," he said.
"All over and all around, they've been a very confused team this season and it's been hugely disappointing from one of the mega franchises of the IPL. A lot of people in the MI fanbase and camp will be very sore," Smith added.
Former Australia vice-captain Shane Watson was also critical of Pandya's captaincy, saying MI allowed KKR back into the game by not deploying their best bowler when they were 57 for 5.
"To keep bowling Naman Dhir when it was so critical (KKR were 57-5), it was a big mistake from the leadership of the Mumbai Indians, whether it was Hardik Pandya making the decisions or information coming from the sideline," Watson told Jio Cinema.
“(Jasprit) Bumrah had bowled only one over at that stage, so (they needed to) get him in the game again to try and break the partnership of Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey, but they didn't. They just let them cruise and build momentum in the partnership."
“Before you know it, they hadn't played a shot in anger and that built the partnership to a point where it was too late when he came in. There were a lot of baffling decisions from the Mumbai Indians' leadership, which is going to be hard to explain," Watson added.
