"Don't know whether it will affect Hardik Pandya.."- Kieron Pollard's jaw dropping revelation after loss to CSK

Mumbai Indians' batting coach, Kieron Pollard, has showered rich praise on under-fire skipper Hardik Pandya, hailing him as one of the finest "all-rounders" India has ever produced. The West Indies legend also expressed confidence that fans will soon hail Pandya for his talent.

Furthermore, Pollard slammed the fans and cricket pundits for unfairly blaming Pandya for the Mumbai Indians' (MI) inconsistent performance in the ongoing IPL 2024. His comments came after Mumbai was crushed by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 20 runs at the Wankhede Stadium.

Notably, Hardik Pandya's last over proved costly for the Mumbai Indians (MI), as MS Dhoni's onslaught resulted in three consecutive sixes, contributing 20 runs off just four balls, with CSK posting 206/4 on the board at the Wankhede Stadium.

I don't know if it will affect Hardik Pandya’s confidence: Kieron Pollard 

Pandya leaked 24 runs in the last over, and it proved decisive in the 29th game of the ongoing IPL 2024, as Mumbai Indians (MI) suffered their 4th defeat in 6 matches so far in the tournament. With the loss, Mumbai Indians (MI) slipped to 8th place on the IPL 2024 points table.

Kieron Pollard said after the match: “I don't know if it will affect Hardik’s confidence. He is a confident guy, and he has been great around the group in cricket, you have good days and bad days and I am seeing an individual who is working bloody hard to improve his skills and plying his trade. I am sick and fed up looking to pinpoint individuals; cricket is a team game at the end of the day.”

Pollard further mentioned that Hardik is going to represent the country in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in less than six weeks, and everyone will rally behind him and want him to do well for the country. So, the MI coach urged all to encourage him and stop nitpicking to “get the best out of one of the great all-rounders India has produced.”

Read Also: Hardik Pandya accused of deliberately feeding balls to MS Dhoni by Sunil Gavaskar

He also highlighted Pandya's abilities in batting, bowling, and fielding and said that the MI skipper has a unique X-factor. He is also confident that when Pandya shines on the field, everyone will be celebrating and praising his achievements.

Kieron Pollard lauded Hardik Pandya's dedication and effort 

Speaking about Hardik's batting, Pollard said that as individuals mature, they develop a sense of accountability and responsibility, which is reflected in the MI skipper’s approach to the game. He observed Hardik's growth, stressing the importance of acknowledging that players will make mistakes as they progress, and it happens to every player.

The MI batting coach also lauded Hardik's dedication and effort and said that when the time comes, everyone will celebrate his achievements and praise him. Notably, the 8th-ranked Mumbai Indians (MI) will next face the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the ongoing IPL 2024 on April 18 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.