IPL 2024: Wasim Jaffer Questions Hardik Pandya's Death Bowling Skills

Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has raised questions about Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya's strategic choices during their recent match against the Chennai Super Kings. Jaffer believes that Pandya's decision to bowl the crucial 20th over himself instead of trusting Akash Madhwal was debatable. With Jasprit Bumrah having bowled the penultimate over, Pandya had the option to hand the final over to Madhwal. However, he opted to take the responsibility himself. Unfortunately for Mumbai Indians, Pandya's over didn't go as planned. He conceded 26 runs, including three consecutive sixes by CSK's MS Dhoni, which propelled their total to 206/4. This marked the fourth defeat in six matches for the defending champions, leaving them languishing in eighth place with four points and a negative run rate of 0.234.

The match also saw Pandya falter with the bat. Coming in with the required run rate hovering around 13, he was expected to display his renowned finishing skills. However, a well-directed bouncer from Tushar Deshpande resulted in Pandya's dismissal, adding to Mumbai Indians' woes.

Jaffer's critique highlights the importance of tactical decisions in the high-pressure environment of T20 cricket. The outcome of matches often hinges on captaincy decisions, and Pandya's choice to bowl the final over himself instead of entrusting it to Madhwal proved costly for Mumbai Indians.

"Well, I think if I have to criticise his captaincy, I think probably the 20th over he bowled that is debatable. I think he did well by not bowling spin to Dube. Batting wise, he could have done well. I can't question his captaincy about it. I think only in the field the 20th over was debatable. Whether he should have bowled or Akash Madhwal, who is probably a better death bowler compared to Hardik," said Wasim Jaffer during a recent interview.

In their recent clash against the Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians suffered a 20-run defeat, marking their fourth loss in six matches this season. The reigning champions find themselves in the 8th position on the points table, accumulating only four points and sporting a negative run rate of 0.234.

According to former Australian cricketer Tom Moody, Hardik Pandya holds the key to reversing Mumbai Indians' fortunes this season. Moody emphasizes the importance of Pandya tapping into the wealth of experience around him to inspire a turnaround. With the team's morale needing a boost, Mumbai Indians aim to reclaim their winning form as they face the Punjab Kings on Thursday at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. This upcoming match presents an opportunity for Mumbai to reignite their campaign and climb up the rankings.

"It is a challenge, but he has a lot of good people around him. You look at the dugout there is a lot of experience, a lot of international experience, and a lot of IPL experience. Also on the field, there is a lot of experience and that's what he needs to draw from and he has to take on board that support from that experience and try to get the ship turned in the right direction," stated Tom Moody in a recent conversation.