"Ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy" - Sunil Gavaskar torches Hardik Pandya after MS Dhoni's onslaught in MI vs CSK IPL 2024 match

Former Indian opening batter Sunil Gavaskar tore into Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya for his poor death bowling in the IPL 2024 clash against the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. The 74-year-old observed that Pandya fed to MS Dhoni's strengths completely.

The Super Kings started the final over at 180, but Dhoni went hammer and tongs against the Mumbai Indians skipper. The 42-year-old hammered three consecutive maximums and carted him for 26 runs to lift the Yellow Army to 206 in 20 overs.

Speaking to Star Sports after the first innings, Gavaskar stated that Pandya was bowling without a plan. He said:

"Probably the worst kind of bowling that I've seen for a long, long time. It almost looks like I've had this embrace with my hero. I've got a bowling kind of deliveries that he's gonna hit for sixes. One 6 is fine. The next one again a length ball when you know that this batter is looking for a length ball to hit. The third ball again, a full toss on the leg side and he's looking for it and hits it for a 6. Absolutely ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy."

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube were the chief destroyers before Dhoni. Gaikwad (69) and Dube (66*) struck half-centuries and shared a 90-run partnership to set a solid foundation for the Super Kings.

Hardik Pandya fails with the bat as Mumbai Indians fall 20 runs short:

Hardik Pandya took 2 wickets in the match. (Credits: Twitter)

Pandya managed only two runs off six deliveries after coming in during the 14th over when the score was 130/3. He was dismissed by Tushar Deshpande in the 16th over.

Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan had a strong opening stand of 70 before Matheesha Pathirana derailed Mumbai's run-chase. The Sri Lankan right-arm pacer dismissed Ishan Kishan for 23 and Suryakumar Yadav for a two-ball duck in the eighth over of the innings.

While Rohit held on to one end, he lacked support and couldn't keep up the momentum. The veteran opening batter reached his second IPL ton in the 20th over of the innings, but Mumbai fell 20 runs short of the target.

Pathirana earned the Player of the Match award for his figures of 4-0-28-4.