Mumbai Indians‘ skipper Hardik Pandya recently secured his first win as captain in the IPL 2024 season, leading his team to a 29-run victory over Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium. This win came after a tumultuous start for Mumbai Indians, marked by criticism over the removal of Rohit Sharma as captain and some questionable captaincy decisions by Hardik.
Before their match against Delhi Capitals, the Mumbai Indians players engaged in a team bonding session away from the city. Activities like motorboating, a musical session, and a quiz show helped the players relax and stay focused on the game.
Hardik Pandya talks about Team bonding
Following the win, Hardik spoke about the challenging start to the season, saying, “We cleared a lot of minds, made sure our plans are right, the intent is right, and today was one of the days where everything clicked.” He emphasized the importance of handling the players with “love and care,” which played a crucial role in the team’s turnaround.
The dressing room atmosphere was a key focus for Mumbai Indians, especially amidst criticism from experts and fans. Hardik highlighted the team’s unity and belief, stating, “There has been a lot of love and care going around. Everyone knows we lost three games, but the belief and attitude of backing each other was there, which has been fantastic.”
With Suryakumar Yadav returning to the team after missing the first three matches due to injury, Mumbai Indians finally feel settled. Hardik mentioned, “We will be making tactical changes here and there but this will be our 12 and settling our team now is important.”
Despite Suryakumar’s return, he didn’t make a significant impact in his comeback match, getting dismissed for a two-ball duck. However, Mumbai Indians’ openers, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, provided a solid start, smashing 75 runs in the powerplay, setting the stage for Mumbai Indians to post a challenging total of 234/5.
Reflecting on the opening stand, Hardik said, “To get 77 or 80 after six was wonderful. The way everyone is batting, we needed to find the rhythm to bat. The way everyone’s chipping in with their opportunities coming was fantastic.”
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