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Hardik Pandya
Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya said it was important to stay disciplined and humble following their sixth win on the bounce in the IPL here on Thursday. MI crushed RR by 100 runs to end the home team's playoffs hopes. "Everyone is very clear and we are going back to simple cricket, it is working for us and hopefully it continues. We want to be humble, very disciplined and keep focusing," said Hardik at the post match presentation. "We could have got another 15 runs. What we were trying to speak to each other was to play percentage shots. Surya and I said there's value for shots... Ro (Rohit) and Ryan batted the same way. I think it was absolutely fantastic. "It is never about people getting chances; it's about what is required in the situation. People are going back to batsmanship. As a group, the way we batted was proper batsmanship." Mumbai Indians made 217 for two after being put in to bat. RR stand-in skipper Riyan Parag MI batters simply took the game away from them.
Skipper Hardik Pandya on Monday credited Mumbai Indians' scouting team for unearthing fresh talent after debutant left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar starred for the side in its eight-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL here. Opting to bowl, MI rode on Kumar's brilliant display with the ball to bundle out KKR for 116 before they chased down the target in 12.5 overs. Left-arm pacer Kumar became the first Indian to take four wickets on IPL debut and help restrict KKR, who were bowled out in 16.2 overs. "Very satisfying to win, especially at home. The way we did it, as a group, everyone chipped in - can't be happier. It's always a challenge of picking one guy here and there. With our team it's pretty sorted with the players who we are backing. "This wicket just offered a bit more and we thought Ashwani can come in and bowl the way he bowled. First of all, it's all because of the scouts. All MI scouts have gone all the places and picked these young kids," Pandya said after the ..
Former Mumbai Indians coach Mark Boucher feels the torrid time endured by Hardik Pandya in the last IPL season added to his already tough character and the "battle-hardened" all-rounder will be at his best in the upcoming edition. It was a turbulent last season for Pandya after he replaced Rohit Sharma as MI skipper. The decision didn't go well with MI fans and they booed the all-rounder at the Wankhede Stadium at every opportunity. The results also didn't go in his favour as MI finished last in the points table. But things have changed since then and Pandya is expected to get the support of the fans after playing a vital role in India's T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy triumphs. "It was really tough for him (Pandya) last season. He was being booed by the crowd every time he took the field, he deserves better, he deserves 100 per cent respect," said Boucher, a JioStar expert for the league starting on Saturday. "A cricketers never wants such a thing to happen with him. But he is
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya on Wednesday said now that the contentious Impact Player rule has been extended by three years, a cricketer has to be a pure all-rounder to find place in the starting eleven. The rule allows a team to replace a player from their playing XI at a later stage of the match. The teams bring in a batting or bowling specialist as the situation demands. The BCCI extended the rule to at least the 2027 edition despite reservations from leading Indian players, including Rohit Sharma who said the Impact Player strategy was holding back the development of Indian all-rounders with teams replacing them with an extra batter or bowler during the game. "In the current scenario, it becomes difficult if you are not completely a 50-50 all-rounder to find your place. Going forward this can change or will change, we will have to see. But yes, definitely if you want to encourage more all-rounders they will need a fix spot for them to develop over the years," said Pandya