"There is not that much pressure" - Former India all-rounder’s massive claim on Hardik Pandya ahead of GT vs MI IPL 2025 match

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya won't feel much pressure in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). He opined that the MI captain won't be under the kind of scrutiny he went through last year after replacing Rohit Sharma in the role.

Pathan emphasized that Hardik has looked very confident of late, playing important roles in India's 2024 T20 World Cup win and 2025 Champions Trophy triumphs. He reckoned that the 31-year-old's attitude would rub off on his teammates in IPL 2025.

Speaking in his latest YouTube video, the cricketer-turned-commentator said (from 2:05):

"There is not that much pressure on the captain because it is his second season for Mumbai. The kind of confidence that Hardik Pandya has shown in the past year, won the T20 World Cup and then performed well in the ICC Champions Trophy, he will bring that confidence here. All the leaders will rally behind Mumbai and Hardik, and that is going to be a big aspect."

Hardik Pandya missed MI's opening match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) due to a one-match ban. He was handed the punishment for overrate offences following the team's last league match of IPL 2024.

In his absence, MI suffered a four-wicket defeat in the 'El Clasico'. They will now face Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Saturday, March 29.

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"If they perform well in the beginning, it will be very tough to stop them from qualifying" - Irfan Pathan on Hardik Pandya-led MI

In the same video, Irfan Pathan pointed out that MI are known to be slow starters but gather momentum as the tournament progresses. He suggested that if they started winning early, a spot in playoffs would just be a formality.

He pointed out that the five-time champions have a formidable lineup for IPL 2025. Pathan remarked (from 3:00):

"Mumbai Indians have a solid setup. They are slow starters. They do not win many matches in the beginning, but then Mumbai's local train picks up a lot of speed. So, if they perform well in the beginning, it will be very tough to stop them from qualifying."

Hardik's first year as MI captain was a tough one for him. He received massive backlash from fans as the team's supporters expressed their displeasure over Rohit Sharma's removal from captaincy. To make matters worse for him, the side finished with the wooden spoon, winning just four out of their 14 outings.