"Questions on Hardik Pandya's captaincy are absolutely valid" - Irfan Pathan lashes out at MI skipper after defeat to KKR in IPL 2024 match

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has blasted Hardik Pandya's management of the Mumbai Indians (MI) as their IPL 2024 playoff chances took another massive hit after losing to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday, May 3. Pathan observed how Pandya's captaincy allowed the Knight Riders to come back into the contest at the Wankhede Stadium.

With the visiting side sliding to 57-5 at one stage, Pandya introduced Naman Dhir into the attack as Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey milked him relatively comfortably.

Dhir's three overs saw him leak 25 runs as it formed the building blocks of Kolkata's recovery and eventually allowed them to post 169 in 20 overs.

Speaking in a video on Instagram, Pathan predicted that it's curtains for the five-time champions this season and blamed Pandya for making questionable decisions on the field.

"Mumbai Indians' story is finished in the IPL 2024. They were a very good team on paper but they have not been managed well. Questions on Hardik Pandya's captaincy are absolutely valid. Today when KKR were 57/5, you bowled 3 bowlers of Naman Dhir. You bowled your 6th bowler, let KKR form a crucial partnership between Manish Pandey and Venkatesh Iyer. The 83-run partnership took KKR to 170 when they should have only got to 150 and that turned out to be the point of difference," he said.

Pandya has also had a torrid time, especially with the bat. The 30-year-old has managed only 198 runs in 11 innings, averaging 19.80. He perished for a golden duck against the Lucknow Super Giants and made one off three deliveries against the Knight Riders.

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"Important for the players to accept their captain" - Irfan Pathan

Mumbai Indians. (Image Credits: Twitter)

Irfan Pathan added that the players are yet to come to terms with Hardik Pandya's appointment as captain and claimed:

"Cricket is a game where captaincy and management is crucial and MI at the moment are not playing as a team and that's the biggest talking point of the season for MI. It is important for the players to accept their captain and I don't think it has happened for MI this season."

With Mumbai Indians losing their eighth game, they are mathematically alive in the playoffs race but need plenty of results to go their way for a top-four finish.