Harbhajan Singh criticizes MI’s decision to reinstate Hardik Pandya as captain
Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his disagreement over Mumbai Indians’ (MI) decision to re-appoint all-rounder Hardik Pandya as captain and blamed the team’s disunity and poor performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season for the move. Has been appointed. , According to Harbhajan, the decision backfired, resulting in a forgettable season for the five-time champions. MI finished the season at the bottom of the standings with only four wins, ten losses and a total of eight points.
Pandya, who returned to MI after a successful two-year stint with Gujarat Titans (GT) where he led the team to the title in the inaugural season, has struggled to repeat his success in 2022. During the season, Pandya scored 216 runs. Played 14 matches at an average of 18.00 and strike rate of 143.04, with his highest score being 46. Furthermore, his bowling figures were disappointing, taking 11 wickets at an average and economy rate of 35.18. Of 10.75.
Speaking to ANI, Harbhajan Singh explained that MI’s decision to bring back Pandya as captain disrupted the unity of the team. He suggested that the timing of the decision may have been a factor, proposing that if the decision had been taken a year later it might have been more effective. Despite the criticism, Harbhajan praised the leadership skills he displayed during his time with GT, and clarified that Pandya was not to blame for the poor results.
“MI has a big team. I have played for it. The management is very good and runs the team well. But this decision backfired. Maybe the idea was to look towards the future. It seems like this is a good thing. Not there.” Team. It wasn’t good for him.” Because they didn’t look cohesive. It was bound to happen. I was sad to see such a great team, one of my old teams, suffer such poor results. Maybe decision time. It was not Hardik’s fault; no matter who the captain was, he did not perform well as a team. ,” Harbhajan told ANI.
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The challenges of the season were evident as Pandya faced jeers from fans in stadiums in India, a stark contrast to his key role in MI’s previous successes from 2015 to 2021. The team’s failure to deliver game-winning performances highlighted the disagreements mentioned by Harbhajan.
Looking ahead, fans have high expectations from Pandya as he will wear the blue jersey for India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to begin from June 1 in the USA and West Indies. Serving as the vice-captain, Pandya’s role will be crucial for Team India given his strong record in white-ball international cricket and his ability to perform under pressure. His performance will be a key component of Rohit Sharma’s strategy as India aim to achieve success in the tournament.
India have been drawn in Group A of the ICC competition along with co-hosts United States, Ireland, Canada and their arch-rivals Pakistan. The Indian team will begin its T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 5. The much-awaited match against Pakistan is scheduled to be held on June 9 at the same venue. After these matches, India will face America on June 12 and Canada on June 15.
As the T20 World Cup approaches, the focus will be on how Pandya recovers from a challenging IPL season and plays a vital role for India on the international stage. His ability to bounce back and lead by example will play a vital role in India’s quest for the T20 World Cup title.
