"Very easy to say sitting in an AC room that he hasn’t performed well" - Gautam Gambhir on Hardik Pandya's critics [SK match ki Baat Exclusive]

Gautam Gambhir believes that Hardik Pandya's underwhelming form in IPL 2024 won't affect him at the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. The Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper has been under the scanner following a string of poor performances this season.

Lashing out at Hardik's naysayers, the former Team India opener stated that it's very easy to comment on a player's performance while sitting in an air-conditioned room. Gambhir opined that Hardik just needs one good outing to bounce back.

Speaking exclusively on Sportskeeda SK Match ki Baat, Gambhir also pointed out how Hardik will be able to play with a lot of freedom at the 2024 T20 World, given that there won't be the added pressure of captaincy.

"T20 is a format where if you score 25 off 10 or take two back-to-back wickets, everything comes back. Plus, there will be no pressure of captaincy on Hardik Pandya at the T20 World Cup. So, he can be even more free. It is very easy to say sitting in an AC room that he hasn't performed well," he said.

Gambhir suggested that Hardik would have still faced criticism even if he had scored 500 runs in IPL 2024, adding:

"There are a lot of factors involved in a player performing well. There is the pressure of captaincy and the team's performance. Even if he had scored 500 runs, he would have still been criticised for MI's position in the points table."

The Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai were the first team eliminated from the IPL 2024 playoff race. Hardik has also received flak for his poor form. The talismanic all-rounder has scored just 200 runs across 12 outings and picked up 11 wickets from as many innings at an economy rate of 10.58.

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"The kind of player Hardik Pandya is, there's no doubt that he could do well" - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir expressed confidence in Hardik Pandya's abilities and backed the player to make a significant impact at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

He, however, mentioned that Hardik will have to deal with a lot of pressure, given the importance a World Cup holds in a cricketer's career.

"I think as a professional sportsman, when you go to play international cricket, there is always going to be pressure, especially in World Cups. Very few players get the opportunity to play a World Cup for their country. The kind of player Hardik Pandya is, there's no doubt that he could do well. Ups and downs are part and parcel of the game," Gambhir remarked.

Gambhir emphasized that no player can succeed every single time he steps on the field. Backing Hardik to turn things around at the showpiece event, he added:

"There is no player in the world whose performances have been at the same level every time. If there was a player like that, he would be averaging 100, and not 40 or 50. If you're averaging 40, it means that if you've gotten 10 opportunities, you've failed in six. Hardik Pandya has the capability and mental strength. One good performance can completely turn things around for him, which is very important for Indian cricket as well because he is a very important member of the Indian cricket team. He's got that X-factor, be it batting, bowling, or fielding. You cannot predict his performances at the World Cup based on what has happened in the IPL."

Hardik Pandya will next be seen in action on Friday, May 17, when MI take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their final league match of IPL 2024.