IPL 2024: After Hardik Pandya changed his bowling strategy against SRH, Steve Smith expressed confusion

On March 27, at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, the Mumbai Indians (MI) lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 31 runs, marking their second straight loss in the Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL 2024). SRH, batting first, scored 277/3 in their allocated 20 overs, the highest-ever IPL total. Mumbai put forth a strong fight in response, but they were only able to reach 246/5 in their 20 overs and ultimately lost the match.

As Australia batsman Steve Smith, who will be on the commentary panel for IPL 2024, questioned several of Hardik Pandya’s on-field judgements after Mumbai’s defeat, his captaincy came under scrutiny once more. Smith was “perplexed” by Pandya’s bowling adjustments and questioned why pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah had been brought on in the fourth over of the session.

“Some of their bowling adjustments for Mumbai in the first innings confused me. “We didn’t see Bumrah again until the 13th over when they were on 173,” Smith said to host broadcaster “Star Sports” after he bowled in the fourth over and went for five.

In Mumbai’s debut match against the Gujarat Titans, Pandya bowled before Bumrah and introduced the speedster into the attack in the fourth over. The same thing occurred in the second game as well. Bumrah joined the attack in the fourth over, during which the seamer conceded just five runs, after Pandya had bowled the second over, which saw him give up 12 runs.

Also read: Watch: Lasith Malinga getting up to make room for Hardik Pandya goes viral

Steve Smith also called attention to Hardik Pandya ‘s second grave mistake, which was his failure to replace him until the thirteenth over, by which point the majority of the damage had been done.

Mumbai will play the Rajasthan Royals at Wankhede next.

“All the damage had been done; you needed your best bowler to be coming back and taking some wickets in that period and I think they missed a trick there, bringing him back only in the 13th over,” Smith said.

Mumbai, on the other hand, has lost their previous two games and now sits in second-worst place on the points table after suffering consecutive defeats. On April 1, they will play their first home game of the season at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium against the Rajasthan Royals.