Mumbai Indians’ (MI) dismal performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) has raised concerns about the team’s leadership under captain Hardik Pandya. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has been vocal in his criticism of Pandya’s tactics, suggesting a lack of respect for the captain in the dressing room.
After MI’s loss to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Pathan questioned Pandya’s decision to give the ball to Naman Dhir when KKR were struggling at 57/5. He argued that this allowed KKR to rebuild their innings through Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey, who was playing his first game of the season.
“Mumbai Indians’ story ends here,” Pathan said in a viral video. “This team was so good on paper, but it wasn’t managed. The questions that were raised on Hardik Pandya’s captaincy were absolutely right.”
Pathan further suggested that the MI players do not respect Pandya as captain, which has contributed to the team’s struggles. “Captaincy has a big impact in the game,” he said. “Mumbai Indians don’t look like a united team, and management needs to consider this. Players need to respect and accept the captain, and we didn’t see that on-field.”
KKR’s win helped them retain their second position in the table, while MI remained at the 9th spot. However, MI still has a mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs if they win their remaining three matches and other results go their way.
Pathan’s criticism of Pandya’s captaincy has sparked a debate about the team’s leadership and the reasons behind their poor performance. MI’s management will need to address these concerns and find a way to improve the team’s fortunes in the remaining matches of the season.
