IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya is ‘injured’; Mumbai Indians captain is ‘not admitting it’, says former cricketer
IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya has come under scrutiny for not bowling enough In IPL 2024. Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), when Mumbai Indians (MI) used as many as 7 bowlers, the MI captain bowled only one and conceded 13 runs. Earlier, in Mumbai’s match against Delhi Capitals (DC), Hardik used 6 bowlers but refrained from bowling himself.
Prior to that, he did not even bowl in the match against Rajasthan Royals (RR). The reason why people are pointing at this practice is the fact that, in Mumbai’s first match of the tournament, Hardik bowled the very first over of the innings. Hardik has bowled only 8 overs across 3 matches, taking only 1 wicket while conceding 89 runs.
His economy rate stands at 11.20. He justified not bowling enough by saying his team did not require his bowling services. However, former cricketer Simon Doull believes there is something wrong, otherwise he would not have stopped bowling all of a sudden.
The Kiwi pacer had his career cut short due to multiple injuries. “You go out and make a statement by opening the bowling in game no. 1, and suddenly, you are not required.
He's injured. I'm telling you there is something wrong with him. He is not admitting it.
But, there is something wrong with him for sure. That is my gut feeling," he said on Cricbuzz. Hardik suffered an ankle injury during the ODI World Cup in 2023.
He missed subsequent cricket activities until March 2024. His return was marked by participation in the DY Patil T20 tournament followed by IPL games. Hardik’s injury, if any, casts doubt on his prospects for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
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