After Rohit Sharma stepped down, Hardik Pandya took over as MI's captain this season. Although Pandya showed glimpses of leadership potential, the team's overall performance in IPL 2024 was not ideal.
Hardik Pandya. Photo: BCCI
Former Australian World Cup winner Michael Clarke Hardik Pandya and urged him to focus on the overall aspects of the game to improve both Mumbai Indians' batting and leadership (mummy).
Former Australian cricketer Michael Clarke spoke exclusively to Star Sports Cricket Live and shared his thoughts on Hardik. Pandya“In the last few games, he has been bowling, taking wickets and making adjustments along the way.
“For an all-rounder, success in one department leads to overall confidence. This aspect is important for any form of Hardik Pandya cricket. He needs to contribute with the ball. Initially, He didn't bowl as much as he expected or wanted” in the first half of this tournament. ”
“But in the last three or four games he has come back into form. Today's performance was his best. He kept it simple, hit the wicket hard and was bowling 135k to 140k. He used the bouncer effectively. That's what I love. He executed the basics perfectly and it's not just for Mumbai but for Indian cricket as a whole because it's a powerful weapon in his arsenal. Beneficial and it will improve his overall performance. ”
Clarke also talked about Rohit Sharma's good form and expressed confidence that the Indian captain will be back at the top. “But how many times did you see that exact ball go for a six? It happened on SKY. Exactly the same ball, exactly the same shot, except these went for sixes. Rohit is out. Rohit has judged his performance wisely but will definitely be disappointed, especially given his strong start. The way I see it, he is also feeling a bit tired. It may be.
However, Clarke also suggested that perhaps a bit of fatigue is creeping in and Rohit could rest and come back even stronger.
“A break to refresh could do wonders for him, but as the Indian captain and a mainstay for the Mumbai Indians, you can't take a break. So he has to stay fit. I saw him the other day, before the game.''His back was a little stiff from the last game, but he was very happy. It doesn't seem to be a timing issue. With a player like Rohit, it will only be a matter of time before he gets back into shape. He's too talented to keep missing the timing of the ball. He's a great player and I'm sure he'll bounce back quickly. I hope he doesn't play in another World Cup (he said jokingly).”