Hardik Pandya’s stint as captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2024 has been a turbulent one. The team’s performance has been underwhelming, currently languishing in ninth place with just 8 points after 13 games and out of playoff contention. This poor showing has sparked discussions about Pandya’s leadership, with former South African batsman AB de Villiers’ comments adding fuel to the fire.
Following MI’s loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders, AB de Villiers took to his YouTube channel and expressed reservations about Pandya’s captaincy style. He described it as “bravado” and “ego-driven.”
“The captaincy style of Hardik Pandya is quite bravado,” AB de Villiers said. “It’s ego-driven in a way, chest out. I don’t think how he walks on the field is always genuine, but he has decided that is his way of captaincy. Almost like MS (Dhoni). Cool, calm, collective, always got your chest out.”
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Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders, came out in strong support of Pandya. He questioned de Villiers’ right to comment on Pandya’s leadership, highlighting the South African’s lack of experience as a captain in the IPL.
“When they themselves did captaincy, what were their own performances like?” Gautam Gambhir countered on Sportskeeda’s Match Ki Baat. “I do not think that whether it is Kevin Pietersen or AB de Villiers, there has ever been performances in their careers from a leadership point of view. Nothing. If you look up their records, it would be worse than any other leader.”
Gambhir further emphasized that Pandya possesses a proven track record as a winning captain, having led the Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in 2022. “[De Villiers] has not even captained any game in the IPL or ultimately achieved anything apart from his own scores,” Gautam Gambhir stated.
Facing a backlash for his initial comments, de Villiers returned to his YouTube channel to clarify his stance. He explained that his intention was not to criticize Pandya’s leadership but rather to draw a parallel between Pandya’s approach and his own playing style.
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“Why I said it’s always not genuine is because I played exactly the same way,” AB de Villiers explained. “The guy you saw on the field was in a way ‘an act’. Sometimes, you have to put up a front and show the opposition that you are a force to reckon with. That’s what Hardik Pandya does,” he said.
This exchange between de Villiers and Gautam Gambhir highlights the ongoing debate surrounding Hardik Pandya’s captaincy. While his leadership with the Gujarat Titans was successful, his struggles at the helm of a star-studded MI raise questions about his suitability for the role. Only time will tell if Pandya can learn from this experience and bounce back as a leader in future IPL seasons.
