IPL 2024: MI coach Mark Boucher admits off-field issues affected Hardik Pandya’s performance

Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mark Boucher believes the change in captaincy from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya impacted the team’s performance in IPL 2024. This season, MI finished in tenth place, winning only four out of 14 games.

The season concluded with an 18-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants on Friday. Rohit Sharma started the match on the bench and came on as an impact player during the chase. Despite this, the crowd at Wankhede Stadium cheered for him and chanted his name when Hardik came on to bowl.

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Rohit entertained the crowd with a 38-ball 68, and his dismissal was met with applause. However, when Hardik walked out to bat, he was booed by the crowd. This reaction has been a constant since Hardik was traded from Gujarat Titans, where he led the team to a title and a runners-up finish.

“It wasn’t great hearing all the boos,” Boucher said. “I felt sorry for Hardik. It’s never nice to go through something like that. We need to address certain things, but now is not the right time. Everyone is disappointed and emotional, so no good decision will be made immediately. We need to evaluate what’s going on.”

Boucher acknowledged the team’s poor performance this season and expressed hope that the management would make some good decisions for the next season. “We need improvement, whether on the field or off the field,” he said. “We have great heads in the management team, and we will find a way to make it better for the players to produce the cricket we know they can.”

He admitted that various factors affected the team, and they need to address these issues to move forward. “There were a lot of moving parts this season, which wasn’t great. Certain things affected individuals and ultimately the team. We need to address these and make good calls to improve.”

Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as captain before the season. Hardik finished the IPL 2024 with 216 runs in 13 innings at an average of 18.00 and a strike rate of 143.04. With the ball, he took 11 wickets in 12 innings at an economy rate of 10.75.

Evaluating Hardik’s performance, Boucher admitted that off-field issues might have “clouded” his on-field performances. “If Hardik was here, he’d be disappointed in his performances,” Boucher said. “As a captain, he had some good games, but a lot of stuff going on around him might have clouded his thoughts, which is tough for him as a leader.”

Boucher praised Hardik’s resilience, saying, “He had a lot of support within our dressing room. It’s tough to go through as a player, and there’s a lot of sympathy for what he’s experiencing. It’s a learning curve for Hardik as he grows in leadership.”

Despite the tough times, Boucher remains optimistic about Hardik’s future as a leader. “A couple of things will pass and make him a tougher leader. He will grow in the role. I still think there are fantastic things coming from Hardik Pandya as a leader.”

As the team looks to regroup and prepare for the next season, the focus will be on addressing the off-field issues and ensuring that the players can perform to their full potential. The management and the players are determined to learn from this season’s experiences and come back stronger.