Hardik Pandya laments Mumbai Indians IPL 2024 last-place finish as season-ends

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Mumbai Indians' captain, Hardik Pandya, wore a resigned smile as he reflected on their tumultuous season, culminating in a last-place finish after a defeat to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their final IPL 2024 encounter. This somber expression had become all too familiar for Pandya throughout the season, which saw Mumbai Indians consistently faltering, often without putting up much of a fight.

Pandya's return to Mumbai Indians, this time as captain, replacing the seasoned five-time IPL-winning leader Rohit Sharma, was far from auspicious. Following a successful stint as captain of the Gujarat Titans, where he clinched the title in 2022 and led them to the finals the next year, Pandya's transition back to MI, the franchise that initially nurtured him, was met with skepticism.

Amid swirling reports of discontent from Gujarat Titans regarding Pandya's departure despite their pleas, Mumbai Indians made the bold move of appointing him as their new skipper. The decision sparked significant backlash, with online criticism spilling onto the field as Pandya faced jeers and criticism from fans, even enduring the disapproval of the Wankhede faithful.

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Pandya's struggles extended beyond the captaincy role; his batting form took a dip, managing only 218 runs in 14 matches at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 145. Similarly, his bowling contributions fell short of expectations, claiming just 11 wickets at an economy rate of 10.75. As Mumbai Indians stumbled from one defeat to another, Pandya's leadership came under intense scrutiny, with his on-field decisions scrutinized like never before.

Reflecting on their dismal campaign after succumbing to LSG by 18 runs in their final outing, Pandya conceded, "Quite difficult (to summarise), this season we didn't play good quality cricket and it cost us the whole season." Mumbai Indians languished at the bottom of the table, managing only four victories in 14 matches.

Asked about bouncing back from this setback, Pandya remained pragmatic, acknowledging the ups and downs of professional sport. "It's a professional world. Sometimes there'll be good and sometimes bad days. We always need to come out to put our best foot forward. As a group, we didn't play quality and smart cricket and it showed in the results," he remarked.

The match against LSG saw the visitors post a formidable total of 214 for 6, courtesy of a stellar 109-run partnership between skipper KL Rahul (55 off 41 balls) and Nicholas Pooran (75 off 29 balls). Despite valiant efforts from Rohit Sharma, who scored 68 off 38 deliveries, and Naman Dhir's late surge with 62 off 28 balls, Mumbai Indians fell short, managing only 196 for 6.

Looking ahead, Pandya admitted it was premature to pinpoint specific shortcomings from the LSG encounter, given the multitude of issues that plagued their entire season. "Too early to exactly point out what went wrong tonight. The whole season kind of went wrong. We can pass on this game and look forward to the next season," he concluded, hoping for better fortunes in the future.

May 18, 2024 11:24 a.m. 870

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