‘To pin the blame on Hardik is unfair’: Ashwin on MI’s disappointing campaign

NEW DELHI: Ravichandran Ashwin has travel retired powerfully successful enactment of Hardik Pandya, insisting it is unfair to clasp the skipper solely liable for Mumbai Indians’ disappointing IPL 2026 campaign.MI, 1 of the astir palmy franchises successful IPL history, became lone the 2nd broadside to beryllium knocked retired of playoff contention this play aft managing conscionable 4 wins from 12 matches.

With Hardik besides enduring a thin tally with some bat and ball, disapproval astir his captaincy has intensified.

Ashwin, however, believes the blasted has been misplaced.“I wouldn't reappraisal his captaincy this twelvemonth astatine all. Honestly, erstwhile you person seasons similar this, to pin the blasted connected the skipper is rather unfair. Nobody has turned up. The squad has failed to crook up,” Ashwin told ESPNcricinfo.‘You’re asking him to bash excessively much’The erstwhile India spinner pointed to Hardik’s palmy enactment stint astatine Gujarat Titans, wherever helium led the broadside to a rubric and a runners-up decorativeness successful 2 seasons, arsenic impervious of his captaincy credentials.“He was determination astatine Gujarat Titans. Had 2 fabulous seasons. So clearly, arsenic a leader, helium did thing close there,” Ashwin said.Ashwin added that replacing

Rohit Sharma

arsenic MI skipper successful 2024 was ne'er going to beryllium easy.“It’s not casual to regenerate an incumbent Indian captain, white-ball captain, specified arsenic Rohit Sharma. Five titles successful the IPL. He’s won a T20 World Cup. You’ve got a batch of fandom going astir successful the country. You should person a heavy tegument to past societal media these days.”

Concern implicit Hardik’s batting formAshwin besides raised concerns implicit Hardik’s batting, saying his timing issues suggest determination could beryllium an underlying carnal issue.“With his batting, I recovered thing rather absorbing and unusual — however precocious he’s been connected the ball. Is helium going done thing physically? We wouldn’t know. But he’s been precocious connected hard-length deliveries.”Hardik has scored conscionable 146 runs successful 8 innings this season, portion picking up 4 wickets astatine an system of 11.90. He besides missed 3 matches owed to a reported backmost issue.Still, Ashwin insisted the all-rounder remains invaluable.“Hardik is simply a once-in-a-generation player. You don’t find specified players. If India finds itself successful a definite T20 mastery now, Hardik’s been a linchpin successful that,” helium added.