Hardik Pandya took charge of the dressing room speech on Wednesday evening in Hyderabad, making a concerted effort to uplift the team's morale.
Following their second consecutive defeat in the IPL 2024 season, Mumbai Indians turned to the leadership of Hardik Pandya and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar to boost morale in the dressing room. The team suffered a 31-run loss to SunRisers Hyderabad in a record-breaking match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, where a total of 528 runs and 38 sixes were scored. SunRisers set a new IPL record with their impressive total of 277 runs, while Mumbai Indians put up a valiant effort in their chase, finishing with 246 runs.
The bowlers in Hyderabad faced a challenging night, with no one escaping the onslaught. Mumbai Indians' 17-year-old fast bowler, Kwena Mapahaka, conceded 66 runs on his IPL debut, while experienced campaigner Piyush Chawla was hit for 34 runs in just 2 overs. Even the renowned Jasprit Bumrah struggled, giving away 9 runs per over. On the other hand, SunRisers bowlers, led by captain Pat Cummins, managed to slightly outperform their opponents, showcasing a more disciplined approach.
Mumbai Indians entered the match under pressure due to a recent change in captaincy, and the season did not start as planned for Hardik Pandya and his team. Conceding 277 runs in 20 overs only added to their woes, leading some fans to worry about the team's performance under the new leadership.
Hardik Pandya took charge of the dressing room speech on Wednesday evening in Hyderabad, making a concerted effort to uplift the team's morale.
"The toughest soldiers get the toughest test and we are the toughest team in the competition. Anyone who could have come even close to where we reached as a batting group are us." Hardik said in a video shared by Mumbai Indians.
The new captain continued to support his bowlers, even after a challenging night. He emphasized that no one shied away from their responsibilities, even as the SunRisers batters were attacking aggressively.
"Something that I am really proud of is our bowlers. Even when the day was tough, I didn't see anyone running away. Everyone wanted the ball in their hands, I think that's a good sight," he added.
"Let's make sure we help each other throughout, whatever happens, worst, bad or good, we will manage it together. And we will be together."
Mumbai Indians are set to take on the Rajasthan Royals in their inaugural home game of the IPL 2024 season on April 1st.
Also read| Rohit Sharma engages in heated chat with Akash Ambani after MI's second straight loss in IPL 2024
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Watch: Hardik Pandya uplift teammates with fiery speech after 31-run defeat against SRH in IPL 2024")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}