Hardik Pandya would be unhappy with his own performance in the IPL as a player and captain, according to Mark Boucher, but the Mumbai Indians dressing room fully supports the all-rounder. The Mumbai Indians head coach stated, “I think if he was here, he’d also be disappointed in his performance,” following the team’s Friday night loss to the Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede.
“Looking back, I felt he had a few solid games as captain. He is also facing challenges as a leader because there is a lot going on in his immediate surroundings that could have distorted his judgment. The South African remarked, “He definitely had a lot of support in our dressing room, and guys were trying to help him out.”
There was a lot of sympathy for him since it’s a difficult thing for a player to go through. a great deal of personal hardship that he was experiencing. Although it seems a bit out of place, sometimes that’s just how things work out. There will undoubtedly be a learning curve in Hardik’s leadership development.”
Before the season even began, Pandya was named captain of the Mumbai Indians, a move that sparked much debate. The supporters were against it, and there were frequent rumors of disturbances in the dressing room. In 14 games, he amassed a pitiful 216 runs at an average of just 18, while he claimed 11 wickets at a not-so-great economy rate of 10.75 as a batsman.
“I believe a few things will work themselves out, making him a more capable leader, and he will undoubtedly advance in the position. Therefore, as a leader, I continue to believe that Hardik Pandya has some amazing things ahead of him. You guys will be aware of the statistics about the cricket aspect of things, Boucher said.
He also talked about the problem of Pandya being jeered wherever he went by the crowd. “Yes, hearing all the jeers wasn’t very nice. I have sympathy for Hardik. To having to endure anything like that is never pleasant. Yes, there are some issues that need to be resolved, and as I mentioned, we will do so. However, this is probably not the best moment. There won’t be a wise choice made because everyone is so upset and unhappy.”
Regarding Rohit Sharma, who has had an ordinary season as a batsman, amassing 417 runs at an average of 32.06 and a strike rate of precisely 150, the coach shared the same thoughts. He scored just one half century aside from his outstanding century against the Chennai Super Kings. It resembles a season divided into two parts. He had a terrific start to the season, striking the ball beautifully in the nets and amassing a fantastic hundred against CSK.
To be honest, we believed that he was headed in the right direction and could help us score some runs. Unfortunately, that’s just another aspect of T20. He attempted to play aggressively, which is the new kind of opening batter, and he received a few low scores, which regrettably didn’t help us in that specific circumstance either.”
Boucher also acknowledged that he is unsure about his own future as the team’s coach. “To tell the truth, I’m not really sure where I’m headed. As I mentioned earlier, these are still very early days. Many people have strong emotions. It’s likely that conversations will revolve around all of us. There’s not just one person, in my opinion. We are operating at peak efficiency.
“I also believe that you should be examined when you perform below expectations. As a result, I’ve done all in my power to be the best coach I can be. I have no remorse about what I did in this situation. Could I have handled things more skillfully? Like we do with any player, we’ll sit down and assess it.
Boucher joined the squad last year when it finished fourth, and it went on to win the championship five times. In the 10-team tournament this year, it is lingering toward the bottom of the points standings. That’s a cause for concern, he acknowledged.
“As a franchise, we definitely need to address that as a matter for worry, and I’m sure we will. There’s a reason the Mumbai Indians are a very successful franchise. As soon as you notice patterns like that, you act upon them. You take a seat and assess and review. You need to take some time to reflect and make some important decisions, which I can assure you we’re not afraid to make.”
