IPL 2024: “Hardik Pandya did play slow for sure but it was required at that stage” – Aakash Chopra after MI get off the mark

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra feels Hardik Pandya’s slow innings of 39 runs off 33 balls against Delhi Capitals was the need of the hour at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday. MI posted their third-highest total in IPL history as they scored 234 runs despite their captain scoring his runs at 118.18.

All the MI batters, who scored in double digits, batted at a strike rate of more than 180. Pandya batted at number four but Suryakumar Yadav, who played his maiden match of IPL 2024, and Tilak Varma were dismissed cheaply. Ergo, it was important for Mumbai Indians to stitch a partnership at that stage.

The MI captain added 60 runs with Tim David, who was able to hit the ground running and scored an unbeaten 45 off just 21 balls.

“The wheels got stuck in the middle. Suddenly it seemed like it wouldn’t work out because Tilak Varma also got out. Ishan Kishan had also gotten out after Rohit Sharma. They were 121/4 at one stage. The team was stuck and they needed a good partnership there,” Aakash Chopra explained on his YouTube Channel.

“Hardik Pandya was there with Tim David. Hardik Pandya did play slow for sure but it was required at that stage because if one more wicket had fallen, the game was done and dusted. Then Mohammad Nabi would have had to come up the order. However, they played there and took the game deeper,” the former India opener added.

Meanwhile, the game-changing moment came when Romario Shepherd smashed Anrich Nortje for 32 runs in the final over of the innings to help MI propel to 234.

“Tim David then started hitting sixes. Anrich Nortje was thrashed – 32 runs in the last over. Romario Shepherd – we used to play a game in our childhood – Super Mario. He kept hitting like Super Mario. Shepherd did an incredible job,” he said.

MI was also given a brisk start by Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Rohit scored 49 off just 27 balls whereas Kishan scored 42 off 23 as they added 80 runs off 42 balls.

“The way Mumbai started with the bat, they were flying rockets. How well was Rohit Sharma batting. When Rohit Sharma bats like this, he does it differently. He didn’t score a half-century – no problem whatsoever, because you become breathless when you start reading their batting lineup, even Gerald Coetzee bats,” Chopra stated.

“So everyone should keep hitting. That’s what he started doing and Ishan Kishan was there with him. Both reached close to their fifties but got out. Axar Patel started picking up wickets,” the cricketer-turned-commentator added.

Mumbai Indians will next take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.