This is an archive article published on May 4, 2024

Finch empathises with Hardik Pandya for feeling drained and under pressure, as former captain

Hardik Pandya's Mumbai Indians are all but out from the playoffs race after their 24-run loss against Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya with teammates celebrates the wicket of Kolkata Knight Riders player Andre Russell run out by him during the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. (PTI)Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya with teammates celebrates the wicket of Kolkata Knight Riders player Andre Russell run out by him during the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. (PTI)
2 min readMay 5, 2024 10:47 AM IST First published on: May 4, 2024 at 12:03 PM IST

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch says the Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya is looking “drained” and looks under “immense pressure” after Mumbai Indians 24-run loss against Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians are all but out from the playoffs race and are lying at ninth at the points table.

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“You would expect them to chase 170 with the dew falling at the Wankhede stadium. It’s a beautiful place to bat generally. Yes it was a bit uncharacteristic in the way it turned a bit more and a bit more two paced than what we have seen in the past,” Finch said on Star Sports about Hardik Pandya.

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya during the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Sunday, April 14, 2024. (PTI Photo) Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya during the IPL 2024 cricket match against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. (PTI Photo)

Hardik Pandya has had a below-par IPL 2024 both with the bat and ball. He has managed only 198 runs with the bat and has picked up only eight wickets with an economy rate of 11.

“He looks really drained and (like) someone who is feeling the pressure. And I feel for him, I have been in that situation myself where everything that you’re trying personally doesn’t seem to be working. And when the team isn’t performing as well, that’s a very difficult place to be.

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“And that’s one thing where you’re not performing and the teams winning, that’s something you’d take as a captain but you bare all responsibility as captain for the team’s performance and that is an incredibly hard place to be, particularly in this competition where it’s so brutal.”

Mumbai Indians will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad next on Monday at the Wankhede Stadium.

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