Harbhajan Singh supported Hardik Pandya
Former Mumbai Indians skipper Harbhajan Singh has stated that the players of his old franchise should accept Hardik Pandya as their captain now that the decision has already been taken by the management. The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup winner, who has represented the Men in Blue in the first ten seasons of the IPL, isn’t happy with the way the team is treating Hardik Pandya in this edition of the IPL.
Hardik has been left alone
Speaking to the official broadcasters Star Sports after the Rajasthan Royals defeated Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, April 1, the 43-year-old said: “The visuals are not looking good. He has been left alone. The players of the franchise should accept him as their captain. The decision has been made and the team should stick together. Having played for this franchise, the situation is not looking good.”
Mumbai lost three matches on the trot
The Royals chased down the target of 126 runs quite comfortably, winning the contest by six wickets with 27 balls to spare. This defeat at home was the Mumbai Indians’ third in their opening three games of the 2024 IPL. The five-time IPL winners lost their previous two fixtures against the Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Ambati Rayudu also expressed his views
“This is not the good situation to be in for any captain” – Ambati Rayudu. Former Mumbai Indians batter Ambati Rayudu, who was also a part of the panel, felt equally bad for Hardik Pandya. According to Rayudu, the current situation at Mumbai Indians is not ideal for any captain to lead their side. He explained: “I don’t know whether it is intentional or unintentional but there are a lot of people in the team who are making him confused. The big personalities in the dressing room are not allowing him to work freely as a captain. This is not the good situation to be in for any captain.”
Sidhu talked about unity in the team
Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu highlighted the significance of playing together as a unit if the team is to achieve positive results in their upcoming matches in IPL 2024. Sidhu stated that Hardik Pandya has no one to speak to in the team and further went on to add: “Hardik is feeling dejected and sad because there is no one he can speak to. Other players should understand that a team can only win when everyone plays together as a unit. If they don’t do it, Mumbai will not win. The dug-out pictures of Hardik are telling a sad story.”
With three losses in as many matches, the Mumbai Indians are positioned at the bottom of the standings. Although they have won the IPL title despite being in a similar situation before, it remains to be seen how they function under their new skipper this season.