MI vs LSG: "That's something I ask..." - Hardik Pandya breaks silence on his captaincy amid Mumbai Indians' struggles in IPL 2024

All-rounder Hardik Pandya shed light on his approach to leadership before the Mumbai Indians' last league stage match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Hardik Pandya described his captaincy style as playing alongside ten teammates.

Hardik Pandya was appointed as the captain of the Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 after being traded from the Gujarat Titans (GT). Previously, the 30-year-old led Gujarat to victory in their debut IPL season in 2022 and secured a runner-up position in 2023.

Hardik Pandya faced criticism from fans for replacing Rohit Sharma as skipper. Furthermore, Mumbai became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. The MI team is at the bottom of the points table, having secured only four wins in 13 matches.

My Captaincy Is Simple - Hardik Pandya

In a video clip from the 'Captains Speak' segment shared by Star Sports on 'X', Hardik Pandya highlighted the significance of instilling confidence and belief in his teammates.

"I think my captaincy is simple. It's just Hardik Pandya playing with 10 other of his teammates. The mantra is simple. Looking after the players, you give them the confidence, you give them the belief, you give them the love. They will go out and give more than 100 percent and that's something I ask for," said Hardik.

.@hardikpandya7 believes in approach over result and feels it is important to give the team confidence in order for them to perform! 👏🏼

Will @mipaltan and Hardik end the campaign on a winning note? 🤔

Watch him in action as he takes on Lucknow in their final home game tonight!… pic.twitter.com/PTH0s97Zn8

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 17, 2024

Hardik Pandya has delivered underwhelming performances both with the bat and the ball in the IPL 2024. The right-handed batter has managed to score 200 runs in 12 innings at an average of 18.18. He has taken 11 wickets with an economy rate of 10.58.

I Am Definitely Approach Oriented - Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya emphasized his focus on the approach rather than the result. The 30-year-old all-rounder said that the approach positively influences the team's performance.

"I am not someone who is result-oriented, but I am definitely approach-oriented. (I see) what kind of approach they (players) are showing, and if I feel that is suiting the team, I think somewhere down the line it helps the team...," Pandya added.

Mumbai Indians will conclude their disappointing Indian Premier League season with a home match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday, May 17. The team aims to end their poor campaign on a positive note with a victory.

The Mumbai Indians last clinched the championship in 2020 under Rohit Sharma's leadership. However, they couldn't maintain their winning streak in the following seasons. In the 2022 season, they finished at the bottom of the points table.

Also read: RCB vs CSK: "Nothing distracts him" - Mohammad Kaif lauds Virat Kohli for his heroics in IPL 2024