Hardik Pandya vs Irfan Pathan 2.0 erupts as ex-India star gives reality check on horrible IPL batting
Published - 17 Apr 2026, 02:28 PM | Updated - 17 Apr 2026, 02:38 PM
Mumbai Indians (MI) and their captain Hardik Pandya have been going through a rough phase in IPL 2026. After another loss to the Punjab Kings at Wankhede, pressure is clearly building, and now Irfan Pathan has also pointed out some serious concerns.
The five-time IPL champions have been struggling badly this season, as they have managed to win only one match out of their five matches so far. Most recently, the Mumbai Indians suffered a crushing seven-wicket loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS) at their home ground, Wankhede Stadium.
Irfan Pathan raises big concerns over Hardik Pandya’s form and leadership
Hardik once again could not make an impact. The MI captain scored only 14 runs off 12 balls and looked out of touch, as well as giving away 39 runs in three overs without taking a wicket. His overall numbers are also not good this season, with just 81 runs in four innings.
He has taken only two wickets this season, and his economy rate is above 11. Reacting to the MI captain’s struggles, Irfan Pathan feels that Hardik is not looking comfortable when the pressure increases, and his form is not matching his level, which is hurting the Mumbai Indians badly.
Irfan Pathan said in a video posted on his YouTube channel: “It is also about managing things in a better manner. Hardik's batting average since 2024 is in the early 20s. We expect better from him. He needs to do better in the power play in bowling too. Things became easier in this match as Allah Ghazanfar picked up wickets. But he is looking very worried when there is pressure.”
Irfan Pathan urges the Mumbai Indians to play a 'proper wicket-taker' going forward in IPL 2026
The bigger issue for the Mumbai Indians in the ongoing tournament is their bowling combination. Pathan has pointed out that Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar are both giving a lot of runs, and that is making things worse for the franchise, and then Jasprit Bumrah remains wicketless.
He added, “Out of the five bowlers, Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya are all-rounders, and Deepak Chahar is not taking wickets. They are left with just two bowlers then. How will you take wickets with just two bowlers? They need to improve their bowling unit and play a proper wicket-taker.”
Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur playing together is a problem for MI: Irfan Pathan
The former Indian all-rounder has pointed out that both Shardul and Chahar are similar types of bowlers, and playing them together is not working. Chahar has been very expensive in the powerplay, which puts the team on the back foot early.
He feels the Mumbai Indians might need to make some tough changes, like dropping one of the bowlers and bringing in a proper wicket-taker to make a comeback in the tournament, where they have already slipped to ninth place in the points table with only two points in their kitty.
Pathan signed off by saying, “Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar bowl at a similar pace. The two playing together is a problem. Deepak Chahar hasn't been able to take wickets with the new ball and has also given 20-21 runs from the first over. When you give these many runs in the first over, the other bowlers have to play catch-up and have to be defensive.”
Read Also: Sack Hardik, Drop Suryakumar, Rest Bumrah! 3 bold calls Mumbai Indians must make to bounce back
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