Former India spinner Piyush Chawla provided a detailed breakdown of Hardik Pandya’s captaincy during Mumbai Indians’ emphatic victory over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing IPL 2025. Speaking on Jio Hotstar, Chawla highlighted how Pandya’s aggressive mindset and tactical nous played a crucial role in MI’s comeback after two consecutive defeats. The five-time champions outclassed KKR with an 8-wicket win, with their pace attack dismantling KKR’s batting lineup and their batters making light work of the chase.
A key aspect of Pandya’s leadership was his proactive field placements and astute use of bowlers. “I think the best part of his captaincy was his attacking approach. He read the conditions well and recognized that the pitch had something for the seamers, so he used them effectively. One move I particularly liked was bringing in Vignesh to bowl when Harshit Rana was at the crease,” Piyush Chawla noted.
Hardik’s bold decision to introduce debutant Ashwani Kumar in the fourth over of the powerplay proved to be a masterstroke. The left-arm pacer struck with his very first ball, dismissing KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane. He continued his fiery spell, eventually registering a four-wicket haul—a historic feat as he became the first Indian to claim four scalps on his IPL debut.
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“You want to get that breakthrough rather than allowing the opposition to add 10-15 more runs, especially with a dangerous batter like Ramandeep Singh still there. Hardik’s decision-making was spot on. When Manish Pandey and Rinku Singh were building a partnership, he reintroduced Ashwani Kumar, and that over completely changed the game. The team executed their plans to perfection today,” Piysuh Chawla added.
Ashwani’s scalps included star players like Rahane, Rinku, Pandey, and the explosive Andre Russell. Piysuh Chawla was particularly impressed with the way the young pacer set up Russell’s dismissal.
“The way he bowled, it’s never easy for a debutant to perform so strongly, especially at Wankhede, which is a batting-friendly venue. Striking with his first ball gave him immense confidence, and he bowled with remarkable control, varying his lengths effectively,” he said.
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Ashwani cleverly mixed up his lengths, initially banging in a few short deliveries before deceiving Russell with a fuller one that rattled the stumps. “His dismissal of Russell was a textbook setup. He made Russell expect another short ball before smartly pitching one up. For someone without much first-class experience, delivering a spell like this on debut is phenomenal,” Chawla concluded.
