Former India pacer Praveen Kumar has launched a scathing critique against Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya ahead of IPL 2024, questioning his commitment to domestic cricket and the national team.
In a viral interview clip, Praveen expressed his concerns about Hardik’s priorities, highlighting his absence from domestic cricket and national duty. “You get injured two months before the IPL, you don’t play for the country, you don’t play for your state in domestic cricket, and just directly play in the IPL. That’s not how things should be done,” Praveen remarked, emphasizing the importance of representing state and country.
Hardik, who suffered an ankle injury during the ODI World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh, is set to lead Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024 after joining the franchise’s pre-tournament camp. This marks his return to the team’s nets since 2021, after his stint with Gujarat Titans where he led the team to their maiden IPL title win in 2022.
Praveen also questioned Mumbai Indians’ decision to appoint Hardik as captain, suggesting that Rohit Sharma could have been a more suitable choice. “Yes, Rohit can do it. Not only for one year, but he can do it for two years, three years. But eventually, the decision lies in the hands of the management,” Praveen stated.
The Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, are set to kick off their IPL 2024 campaign against the Gujarat Giants, captained by Shubman Gill, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 24, Sunday.
