MI vs SRH: Hardik Pandya accused of hiding behind teammates!! Virender Sehwag reminds him of Gujarat Titans' days
Updated - 04 May 2024, 02:14 PM
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Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag criticized the Mumbai Indians' strategy during their recent match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Virender Sehwag questioned the team's tactics of sending Hardik Pandya and Tim David lower in the batting order.
The Knight Riders managed to post a competitive total of 169 runs while batting first at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday, May 3. The visiting team recovered from a challenging position of 57/5. Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey added a crucial 83-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
The Mumbai team lost five wickets for 70 runs by the 11th over before Hardik Pandya came to the crease. Tim David joined the batting lineup in the No. 8 position when the team's score was 71/6. The home team was bowled out for 145 runs in 20 overs, marking their eighth loss in the ongoing season.
You Could've Come Earlier - Virender Sehwag
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Virender Sehwag stated that Hardik Pandya and Tim David could have made a difference if they batted earlier in the match. Sehwag questioned why experienced players are coming so low, highlighting Hardik Pandya's No. 4 position for the Gujarat Titans (GT).
"Mumbai Indians saved Hardik Pandya and Tim David. What did you achieve by doing that? There were many deliveries left, and they all got out. You could've come earlier, or maybe you could've finished the game earlier, too."
"I don't know what happens to them when they chase... Hardik Pandya at seven and Tim David at 8. I just don't understand what they did. Are these players that bad that they will get out if they come earlier?” Sehwag told Cricbuzz.
"Hardik Pandya batted at 4 consistently when he was the GT captain. What has happened here? It baffled me that the experienced players are coming so low," he added.
Hardik Pandya scored just one run off three balls before being dismissed by KKR all-rounder Andre Russell. Tim David was dismissed in the 19th over after scoring 24 runs off 20 balls, including one four and one six. The MI team lost their last three wickets for just one run during the chase.
I'm Baffled By This - Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag expressed astonishment at MI's poor performance this season. The former Indian opener urged the management and owners to take action in response to the team's disappointing outings.
"I'm baffled by this. Management needs to take severe action on players and ask them what's happening. Or, players should speak up about why their batting positions are changed. The captain, batting coach, bowling coach, and support staff are at fault here. Owners need to ask strict questions," Sehwag further stated.
MI is mathematically still in the playoff race but only has pride left to play for this season. They are currently second from the bottom in the table, with three games left in the tournament. Their next match is against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at home on Monday, May 6.
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