Hardik Pandya is yet to find his form with Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League 2024. Although he was a confident player with the Gujarat Titans, he seems to be struggling after returning to MI for his second stint. He couldn't handle the pressure in the game against Punjab Kings and allowed Rohit Sharma to take charge.
Hardik followed Rohit's instructions, and Sharma's decisions led Mumbai to a 9-run victory. Pandya failed to perform with the bat once again, scoring only 10 runs. The all-rounder was put on the backfoot when Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma began hitting MI bowlers for fours and sixes. Rohit intervened to help Hardik once again. He spoke to the bowlers, particularly Gerald Coetzee and Akash Madhwal, when they were conceding runs at an alarming rate during the death overs.
The captain, who has won five titles, was responsible for field placements. In contrast to previous games, where he was often sent to protect boundaries, he was stationed in the 30-yard circle.
The change in approach was also noticed by former India player Harbhajan Singh:
“Hardik is MI captain but did not lead them in the game against Punjab. It was Rohit who was making all the decisions. It is good to see Rohit coming forward; even Jasprit Bumrah gave his input. These three are the most senior players at MI and they are finally working as a group.”