Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya bounced back in the ongoing IPL and led the team to the playoffs as well. Notably, MI registered a 59-run win over Delhi Capitals that sealed their spot in the play-offs as well. While he faced backlash last season when he took over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma, he stepped up this season pretty well. And former India batter Ajay Jadeja heaped praise on his leadership.

“Hardik has been fabulous. He has got the energy. He has got a different style of captaining. Unfortunately, last season wasn’t a success. He has kept his cool. He has carried on the way he captains, whether he was at GT, whether it was last year,” Jadeja told JioStar. “He is an excellent motivator. He is one man who has shown he never gives up. Yes, there is an excellent analytical team out there who is helping him out. But the energy that he brings in.”

“It’s lovely to see, for a man who has had such a tough time last year — with the same team, same ground, same fans — he has turned it around. The same fans at this ground were booing him last year; now they are cheering for him. That shows his character. You want to always have a leader like him — not just when you’re winning, but when you are losing as well,” he again added.

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Ajay Jadeja also said that Hardik Pandya has benefited from a strong bowling line-up in IPL 2025, so much so that Hardik himself hasn’t needed to bowl in most games as well.

“The results have come his way this year. I think he has got a better bowling attack this year. So that makes a big difference. A man who bowls for India and plays as a pure bowler is not even required. That’s the kind of arsenal that has been put around him. A captain is always as good as his team,” Ajay Jadeja concluded.

Mumbai Indians will now try to finish in the top two, whereas their final league match will be against Punjab Kings on Monday in Jaipur as well.