New Delhi: Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin An important decision has been questioned by Hardik Pandya During Indian Premier League 2026, later Mumbai IndiansDamage to Chennai Super Kings. The debate centered around Pandya asking young pacer Krish Bhagat to bowl crucial death overs, which proved costly and helped CSK finish strongly.Bhagat bowled the 16th and 20th overs and conceded 31 runs, raising eyebrows as Pandya still had overs to spare.
Ashwin felt that the captain should have taken charge in this moment of pressure.“I have no personal connection with Hardik Pandya, but I always feel that he is a box office player. It is easy to say something about Hardik Pandya now, but today when he gave the last over to Krish Bhagat, I admit that Pandya scored 38 runs in two overs. But if a player can bowl the last over of the 2024 T20 World Cup against David Miller, so can you, right? Ashwin said.He added, “Krish Bhagat doesn’t have that much experience, I like how he bowled, he didn’t do too bad, but Pandya can handle the pressure. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Pressure and form concerns
Ashwin also pointed out that Pandya is still dealing with the pressure of leading Mumbai. The Indian After replacing Rohit SharmaWhat happened after coming to MI after the trade with Hardik Pandya, was too much for one person. You replaced a great player like Rohit Sharma, and were cheered on by his own fans in his own stadium. It’s a lot to deal with emotionally. You are only as good as your team as a captain,” he said.Pandya’s form has been below par this season. However, coach Mahila Jayawardene backed him up, saying, “I don’t think, to be honest, it’s not a concern. He started well… Overall, we weren’t consistent.”Mumbai Indians now look forward to their next match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
