In a thrilling encounter between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, MI captain Hardik Pandya faced criticism for his bowling performance, particularly in the final over against CSK’s MS Dhoni. Pandya was hit for three consecutive sixes by Dhoni in the last over of the first innings, leading to a total of 20 runs off just 4 balls for the former CSK captain.
Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, while commentating on the match, expressed his frustration with Pandya’s bowling, suggesting that it seemed like Pandya intentionally bowled easy deliveries to Dhoni.
Sunil Gavaskar could not his frustration
Gavaskar’s was frustrated and he said, “Probably the worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long, long time. It almost looks like I’ve had this embrace with my hero. I’ve got a bowling kind of deliveries that he’s gonna hit for sixes.”
Gavaskar further criticized Pandya’s bowling choices, stating, “One 6 is fine. The next one again a length ball when you know that this batter is looking for a length ball to hit. The third ball again, a full toss on the leg side and he’s looking for it and hits it for a 6. Absolutely ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy.”
The incident has sparked discussions about Pandya’s strategy and execution under pressure, especially against a seasoned campaigner like Dhoni. The commentary during the match highlighted the disappointment in Pandya’s performance, with many questioning his decision-making and execution in such a crucial moment of the game.
Despite this setback, Pandya and Dhoni share a close bond off the field, which was evident before the match when Pandya ran to greet Dhoni and shared a warm embrace with his former India captain. Pandya had made his international debut under Dhoni’s captaincy, adding a personal touch to their on-field rivalry.
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