Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has revealed the reason as to why Hardik Pandya hasn’t been bowling during the matches. Pandya hasn’t been given the bowl due to the shoulder niggle that he picked up during the series against England at home.
“…we were looking forward for him to be bowling this season… he was coming back from an injury already, but after those matches against England, the last ODI, I believe he picked up niggle, so that is something that we are nursing at the moment,” Jayawardene said during a virtual press-conference.
The former Sri Lanka captain suggested that the team management wants Hardik to be fully fit to bowl. “We don’t want to risk it, because it is important that we make sure that he (Hardik) is in a position to comfortably come in and bowl,” Mahela said.
The Mumbai Indians have won two out of the three matches that they have played so far and are placed at number three spot in the points table. They last defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai after defending a total of 150 runs in 20 overs.
SRH started the chase in a decent manner after openers Jonny Bairstow and David Warner provided them with a steady start as the two batsmen out 67 on the board for first wicket in the 8th over.
But Bairstow’s departure for 43 saw a fall of wickets at regular succession and the Hyderabad-based franchise were soon reduced to 130/7 before getting bundled out for 137 to lose the match by 13 runs.
Trent Boult and Rahul Chahar picked up three wickets apiece during the course. MI will now lock horns with Delhi Capitals on Tuesday in Chennai.