Will Hardik Pandya have the support of the Indian and overseas players? Tom Moody's interesting revelation
Published - 20 Mar 2024, 12:41 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:28 AM
Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody expressed confidence in Hardik Pandya’s leadership as Mumbai Indians captain for the IPL 2024. However, Tom Moody cautioned Hardik Pandya about the challenges of captaincy, stating that criticism could arise after a few losses.
In IPL 2024, the Mumbai Indians will embark on a new chapter under Hardik Pandya’s leadership. The dynamic all-rounder, back where his IPL career began, has taken over as captain after a dramatic trade deal with the Gujarat Titans before last year’s mini-auction.
The 30-year-old will succeed longstanding skipper Rohit Sharma, who guided MI to five titles in the tournament. The announcement sparked discussion on social media, with even Ritika Sajdeh criticizing coach Mark Boucher’s explanation for Rohit’s removal as captain.
Hardik Pandya Is A Highly Respected Cricketer – Tom Moody
Speaking on ESPNCricinfo, Tom Moody emphasized Hardik Pandya‘s advantage of having a solid team and receiving support from both Indian and overseas players. Moody advised Hardik to handle situations carefully, especially if the team faces initial losses.
“He has got a team that will back up and take away the pressure of inconsistent performances. He will have the support of the Indian and overseas players because he is a highly respected cricketer and a performer as an all-rounder,” Moody told ESPNCricinfo.
“But, captaincy can be a completely different game once you lose two or three games and suddenly they pick holes out of your leadership, they pick holes out of the decisions you make,” he added.
Pandya is familiar with captaincy pressure, having led the Gujarat Titans for two successful seasons. He steered GT to their first IPL victory in 2022 and guided them to the final again last season, where they narrowly missed out on the title to the Chennai Super Kings.
Hardik Pandya Is Tactically Sound – Tom Moody
However, in Mumbai, Hardik Pandya will be captaining a team comprising some big Indian superstars. The star-studded Mumbai Indians lineup includes established Indian talents like Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah, and Suryakumar Yadav.
Tom Moody lauded Hardik Pandya’s tactical prowess and anticipated support from both Indian and overseas senior players. Moody expressed confidence in Pandya’s capacity to lead effectively, underscoring his adeptness in decision-making.
“When you are winning, you can make the craziest decisions and still people build them up to being genius strokes. Hardik has the credentials as the Gujarat Titans leader, he is tactically sound and he will be supported by all the senior players, both Indian and overseas,” said Moody.
Pandya brings leadership experience from captaining the Indian cricket team. The right-arm pacer led the team in three ODI matches, securing two wins and one loss. Under Pandya’s leadership, the Men in Blue won 10 out of 16 matches in T20 internationals.
Hardik Pandya will kick off his captaincy tenure with the Mumbai Indians against his former team, the Gujarat Titans, in Ahmedabad on March 24. The MI will then face Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, and Delhi Capitals in the early stages of the IPL 2024.
Also read: Hardik Pandya targeted by former Mumbai Indians scout ahead of IPL 2024 comeback
