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"An Opportunity Missed" Hardik Pandya Criticised For Trusting 'Nets Level Bowler' Over Himself

Aakash Saini

Hardik Pandya with Jasprit Bumrah after MI vs PBKS match [Source: IPLT20.COM]Hardik Pandya with Jasprit Bumrah after MI vs PBKS match [Source: IPLT20.COM]

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya has been scolded by former SRH coach and ex-Australian cricketer Tom Moody after his team slipped to a crashing defeat against Punjab Kings in the second qualifier of IPL 2025. Under the leadership of Pandya, Mumbai Indians bowlers failed to defend 204 runs with an over to spare and bowed out of the competition.

Tom Moody believes that captain Pandya should have bowled beyond his short two-over spell because he was executing “what was required” on the Ahmedabad surface. As it turned out, the all-rounder ended up trusting English paceman Reece Topley, who was playing his first match of the season.

Topley looked “conditioned for nets”, says Moody

Former Australian cricketer and prominent commentator Tom Moody said that Hardik Pandya should have continued to bowl after his two-over opening spell because he was making full use of the surface. He believes Mumbai Indians missed an opportunity there to pull Punjab Kings down early in the match. Moody said:

“Hardik should have had a two-for. He should have bowled. He was executing what was required on that surface. And that was an opportunity that was missed. He should have had a two-for, and I agree, he should have come back and grabbed the bull by the horns, and said, 'Right, okay, I'm going to bowl in here," Moody was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. 

Tom Moody also slammed Reece Topley, calling him as a bowler who was looking “conditioned for nets”. Compatible to Moody’s claims, Topley was taken down by Punjab Kings batters for 40 runs in just his three overs.

“Topley looked like a bowler that was conditioned for nets but way off the mark for real, high-pressure, competitive cricket. That's what he was missing. It's very hard to come from being on top of your game, feeling you've got rhythm, bowling good areas in the nets, to suddenly transferring that to a pressure-game situation.”

Hardik Pandya made instant impact with the ball, getting rid of dangerman Josh Inglis before finishing his opening spell with figures of 2-19 from two overs. However, Pandya did not return to bowl any further as he went on trust his specialist pacemen Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwani Kumar, Trent Boult and Reece Topley.