Ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya wasn’t utilized with the ball in the game against RCB. Commenting on the tactic, Zaheer Khan claimed that the reason behind it was to keep Hardik’s workload in check. The Mumbai Indians champion player recently recovered from a back injury.
Rohit Sharma and company lost the first game of the season against RCB on the very last ball. With Trent Boult and Rahul Chahar proving to be expensive and Hardik not utilized with the ball, MI appeared short on bowling options.
Not only Hardik, but even Kieron Pollard also was not asked to bowl a single over. Hardik’s bowling workload has been handled carefully by the Indian team in the recent past after returning from back surgery. Hardik bowled 17 overs during the five-match T20I series against England and was only called to bowl in the final ODI, where he turned his arm over for nine overs. Even MI are handling Hardik’s workload with caution.
“Hardik, as a whole package, is always of great value,”
MI’s Director of Cricket operations, Zaheer Khan, said.
He added that not using him against RCB was a workload related thing. In consultation with the physio, the team had to take that approach. Hardik has a little bit of a shoulder concern, but Zaheer claimed that it is not worrisome.
Praising Hardik, Zaheer said that he is very effective with the new ball and will be utilized at the start of the innings when he is fit to bowl. Zaheer, however, also clarified that Rohit isn’t going in with limited options into the game.
“Pollard is our sixth bowling option,”
he added.
Khan said that whenever Hardik is available, he will start bowling. He will be one of the main bowling options as well. With Quinton de Kock now out of quarantine and available for selection, MI will have a selection decision to make ahead of the next game against Kolkata Knight Riders. Not including Chris Lynn would be difficult to make as he made an impressive 49 against RCB.
With the kind of value Hardik Pandya brings into the team, even if he plays as a pure batsman, it wouldn’t be the worst thing for MI as they have a plethora of other all-round options in the team.
