Sanjay Manjrekar believes that the gritty 12-run victory over the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, April 13, should be attributed entirely to Hardik Pandya, the captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI), rather than Rohit Sharma.
In the second innings, Karun Nair hammered an innings of 89 off 40 balls. DC was cruising along in their pursuit of a 206-run mark because to his excellent batting. Rohit, however, advised Hardik to switch the ball from the dugout. After accepting the transfer, the latter added Karn Sharma as the impact player. By hitting a three-for, the seasoned leg-spinner completely changed the course of the match.
According to Manjrekar’s analysis of the match, Hardik should have received all the praise for winning because he made the mid-game call. The former India batter said that if things hadn’t gone as planned, supporters would have attacked the MI skipper.
“A lot of individuals are available to offer advice, but ultimately, the person in the midst must make the choice. The most important thing is that he (Hardik) paid attention to Rohit’s counsel. It would be incorrect to give Rohit credit here as well rather than Hardik Pandya. “You would have blamed Hardik if the suggestion hadn’t worked,” Manjrekar stated on Star Sports.
It would be incorrect for social media and others to claim that Rohit Sharma’s recommendations were the reason the Mumbai Indians won: Manjrekar Sanjay
Manjrekar claimed that Hardik needed the victory, particularly in light of the difficult circumstances he has faced since taking the helm of the five-time IPL champion team. The former cricket player turned analyst added that it would be incorrect to claim that Rohit’s contributions were the reason MI won.
“Offering suggestions from the outside is really simple. Hardik Pandya deserves all the credit for this victory. It was a significant victory for him given how emotional he has been (about Mumbai’s recent defeats). For him, the road has been pretty challenging. It would be incorrect for social media and others to claim that Rohit Sharma’s recommendations were the reason the Mumbai Indians won. Regardless of who makes recommendations, Hardik Pandya is the captain and the one who makes decisions,” Manjrekar continued.
After six games in the IPL 2025, Mumbai only won their second match. On Thursday, April 17, at the Wankhede Stadium, they will play Sunrisers Hyderabad.