IPL 2024: We need to be a bit more disciplined and show a lot more courage – Hardik Pandya after loss against RR

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya believes they need to be a bit more disciplined and show a lot more courage after their six-wicket loss against Rajasthan Royals while playing at their home ground of Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday.

MI could only manage 125-9 after they were put into bat by RR’s skipper Sanju Samson. RR’s gun fast bowler Trent Boult rattled the hosts’ top-order as he had Rohit Sharma caught behind to Sanju Samson whereas he plumbed Naman Dhir in front of the wickets in the very first over.

The left-arm seamer also had Dewald Brevis caught at short third man (Nandre Burger). None of the Mumbai Indians’ batters could go past the 35-run mark and the hosts kept losing wickets at regular intervals, which led to their downfall.

On the other hand, MI had Rajasthan Royals in some trouble at 48-3 after 6.3 overs but an in-form Riyan Parag scored a mature knock of 54 runs off 39 balls to get his team over the line.

Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya top-scored for MI with 34 runs but he was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal, who returned with 3-11. Pandya admitted his wicket put them under more pressure.

Hardik Pandya said in the post-match presentation, “Yes, a tough night, we didn’t start the way we wanted to start. I wanted to counter, we were in a decent position to get us around 150-160, but my wicket allowed them to get back more into the game, I needed to do a lot more.”

Pandya admitted they didn’t expect such a surface, which would aid the seamers so much. He added, “It’s okay, we didn’t expect such a surface, but you can’t always have it as a batter, it’s nice at times for the bowlers to have a say. It’s all about doing the right things, (correct) results happen at times, at some other times it doesn’t. As a group, we believe we can do a lot better, but we need to be a bit more disciplined and show a lot more courage.”

Mumbai Indians will next take on Delhi Capitals on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium.