3 min learnApr 24, 2026 11:58 AM IST
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has criticised Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya for handing the ball to rookie pacer Krish Bhagat to bowl the top overs throughout the IPL 2026 conflict towards Chennai Tremendous Kings.
Bhagat bowled the sixteenth and twentieth over of the innings, the place he conceded a mixed 31 runs and ensured the CSK ended their innings on a excessive. The pacer was launched within the assault, regardless of Pandya himself having two overs below his belt.
“With Hardik Pandya, I don’t have any private relationship with him, however I at all times really feel that he’s a field workplace participant. It’s straightforward to say issues about Hardik Pandya now, however at present, when he gave Krish Bhagat the ultimate over, I admit that Pandya went for 38 runs in two overs. But when a participant can bowl the ultimate over of the 2024 T20 World Cup towards David Miller, you’ll be able to bowl this too, proper?” Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel.
“Krish Bhagat doesn’t have that a lot expertise, I like how he bowled, he didn’t do too badly, however Pandya can take up that strain. What’s the worst that may occur?” he added.
The 106-Check veteran felt that Pandya was maybe feeling the strain of taking up the captaincy reign from Rohit Sharma, who has led MI to 5 titles.
“What occurred to Hardik Pandya after he got here to MI after the commerce, was an excessive amount of for a person to deal with. You changed a fantastic like Rohit Sharma, and received booed by his personal followers in his personal stadium. That could be a lot to cope with emotionally. You might be solely nearly as good as your group as a captain,” he stated.
Pandya has had a troublesome time with each bat and ball in IPL 2026, scoring a mere 97 runs and taking six wickets. Regardless of the lean run, head coach Mahela Jayawardene stated within the post-match presentation that the all-rounder’s type had taken a dip after a constructive begin to the season.
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“I don’t assume, to be trustworthy. It isn’t a priority. He began nicely. Within the first few video games with the ball, he bowled rather well. General, as a unit, we haven’t been constant. However we haven’t picked up early wickets, we haven’t managed to regulate issues in the way in which circumstances and stuff like that, in order that’s an total factor,” Jayawardene stated.
MI will subsequent tackle Sunrisers Hyderabad at residence on Wednesday.