Harbhajan Singh took a dig at MI management, suggesting the poor IPL run was not solely Hardik Pandya’s fault.
The Mumbai Indians made a controversial decision to name Hardik Pandya their new captain, replacing Rohit Sharma. This move was seen by some, including Harbhajan Singh, as a factor in the team’s poor performance this IPL season. Pandya’s prior success as captain with the Gujarat Titans was not enough to avoid criticism for the change.
Harbhajan Singh, speaking to ANI, criticised MI’s decision to choose Pandya as captain, suggesting it led to team disunity. While acknowledging Pandya’s previous success with GT, Singh noted that the timing of the decision was premature and could have been better received later on.
“MI has a big team. I have played for it. The management is great and runs the team well. But this decision has backfired. Maybe the thinking was to look for the future. It seems that it did not sit well with the team, as they did not look united. It was bound to happen. It pains me to see such a big team and an old team of mine face such poor results. Maybe the timing of the decision was not right. It could have been better had this decision been taken a year later,” said Harbhajan of MI’s management.
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However, he also clarified that it was not solely Hardik’s fault and subtly pointed towards Rohit and other senior players for MI’s downfall. “It is not Hardik’s fault; he was captaining really well in GT. The duty of the senior players is to keep players united, no matter who is the captain. Captains come and go. They did not play like a team,” remarked the former Indian spinner.
Looking ahead, fans will be eager to see Pandya perform for India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, where he has been appointed as vice-captain. With India grouped alongside the United States of America, Ireland, Canada, and Pakistan, India’s T20 World Cup journey begins on June 5 against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
Last Updated on May 21, 2024
