Hardik Pandya’s disappointing IPL 2024 campaign has raised concerns among fans and experts alike. After a sensational trade from Gujarat Titans, Pandya took over the captaincy of Mumbai Indians, ending Rohit Sharma’s decade-long tenure. However, the move has not been well-received by a section of the fanbase, and MI’s poor performance has only exacerbated the situation.
With just three wins in 10 matches, MI has struggled to find their footing in IPL 2024. Pandya’s own form has been a major concern, with the all-rounder failing to live up to expectations both as a player and captain. The home crowd at the Wankhede Stadium has even booed Pandya, a sign of the growing frustration among MI supporters.
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali believes that MI’s downfall is primarily due to a mindset issue. He also criticized Pandya’s performance, suggesting that it has been affected by the BCCI’s decision to retain Rohit Sharma as T20I captain after the Cricket World Cup 2023.
“The way Pandya was made captain before the start of the season, plus Pandya’s performance, has also not been up to the mark this year. These factors have contributed to MI’s downfall,” Ali said.
Ali believes that Pandya was expecting to become the T20 captain of India after the World Cup, and his performance has suffered since losing out on the captaincy. “After the culmination of the 50-over World Cup, Pandya thought he would be the T20 captain of India, and that is why he came to Mumbai. But when BCCI announced that Rohit Sharma will continue leading India, Pandya was probably confused. This is why his performance was affected,” Ali concluded.
With MI’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread, Pandya and his team face an uphill battle. They need to win all of their remaining matches and depend on other results to qualify for the playoffs.
