Are the Mumbai Indians happier when Hardik Pandya isn’t playing? Former India captain and selector Kris Srikkanth feels that is the case after seeing how MI played and celebrated during their win over Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on Thursday, May 14.
With Hardik still on the sidelines, and with Suryakumar Yadav also missing the match, Jasprit Bumrah was installed as the stand-in skipper. Immediately, there seemed to be a new energy within the bowling group as Mumbai were able to wreck Punjab during the middle overs with Shardul Thakur picking up four wickets.
PBKS vs MI: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
In the end, Tilak Varma’s blitz ensured they got the win in the final over, leading to massive celebrations in the Mumbai dugout, with Rohit Sharma leading the way.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said firstly it was a good move to have Bumrah as the captain as he was proactive with his calls.
“It is a good call. I think Bumrah coming in as captain is a fantastic move,” said Srikkanth.
Srikkanth said that there was a noticeable shift in energy within the side as Hardik wasn’t there, and they showed the will to succeed.
“Definitely, definitely there is some issue. Definitely, the team’s mood was more lighter. The team suddenly looks more united overall.”
“Surya too didn’t play in that match. He was not playing the match for personal reasons, he did not play the match. But whatever it is, the young side suddenly like you are saying. They come and Deepak Chahar is bowling well. That Raj Angad Bawa fellow is bowling decently. Everyone is performing. Tilak Varma performed brilliantly. Ryan Rickleton smashed and dominated with aggressive shots early on.”
“Overall, like you said, the will to win, they will to succeed. Even though they were down in the dumps, they showed the will to succeed. That is the key in cricket. That energy was there,” said Srikkanth.
‘BUMRAH WAS SMILING CONTINUOUSLY’
Srikkanth said that even Bumrah looked happy and was giving the rest of the bowlers the confidence to perform well.
“And if you look at the bowling too, even Bumrah was smiling continuously. He was giving lots of confidence to the bowlers. And I thought Bumrah’s captaincy made a huge difference to people like Deepak Chahar. And of course Shardul Thakur, because otherwise, they bowl loose deliveries and leak runs. Today, everyone took wickets,” said Srikkanth.
Hardik’s future with MI has been in the limelight for some time, but Shardul dismissed the notion that the all-rounder will be traded after the season.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– Ends
