Mumbai Indians’ batting coach Kieron Pollard backed Hardik Pandya’s transfer to open the bowling as a substitute of Jasprit Bumrah and likewise mentioned the skipper batting at quantity seven of their IPL opener in opposition to Gujarat Titans was a “collective resolution”. An inexplicable batting technique noticed MI lose their opener by six runs right here on Sunday after they appeared on track for victory. Mumbai Indians received the toss and opted to bowl first and surprisingly, Hardik opened the bowling in opposition to his former aspect.

“It’s important to plan and resolve what you wish to do as a workforce. Hardik (Pandya) has additionally bowled with the brand new ball for Gujarat over the past couple of years. He swung the brand new ball and bowled it properly, which was nothing new to us.

“We tried to make use of the benefit of the brand new ball swinging alongside. Once I have a look at the choice made, there’s nothing mistaken with it, and we transfer on,” Pollard mentioned on the post-match press convention.

When the dialogue turned to the logic behind Hardik coming in to bat at quantity seven Pollard mentioned one cannot attribute the choice to the skipper.

“No resolution is made on full autonomy, so we will not say it’s his resolution. As a workforce, we have now plans; we speak about setting entry factors for batters. The highest order batted deep into the sport, and we additionally had two energy hitters to go within the again finish.

“Normally, in the event you have a look at it over time, Tim (David) has completed video games for us, and Hardik has accomplished it through the years.

“So, at any level, any considered one of them can resurrect the state of affairs. It did not occur tonight, so there’ll possible be a chat about who ought to have gone earlier.

“However all of these issues are in hindsight, and as a workforce, we make selections, so let’s put a cease to ‘Hardik decided, Hardik did this, Hardik did that’. We’re a workforce. We make selections collectively as one,” the West Indian mentioned.

Pollard additionally threw his weight behind embattled opener Ishan Kishan and mentioned he’ll come good within the coming matches as he’s an “skilled” participant inside the setup.

“For him, once more, he didn’t rating tonight so, we are able to have a look at all types of various issues, however I mentioned it is a lengthy event, he’s an skilled man inside our setup and we anticipate huge issues from Ishan.

“He’s in a great area, he has been practising properly and has been doing pretty decently, so hopefully inside the subsequent couple of video games, you possibly can see nice performances from him and all of you’ll proceed to laud his brains when he does that,” Pollard mentioned.

Kishan was dismissed for a duck by Azmatullah Omarzai.

4 gamers, together with Punjab all-rounder Naman Dhir, made their Mumbai Indians debut within the workforce’s opening fixture of IPL 2024.

Pollard was impressed with Dhir’s efficiency.

“Firstly, kudos go to the scouts and all the fellows who work behind the scenes and proceed to unearth all of those abilities. He was on the radar. For us, he has been inside our setup for the final couple of months, going to England and creating.

“So it was one thing that we might seen in that man, and he got here out and was very expressive.

“Once more, with the lofted shot, we’re enthusiastic about these items, however I assumed he had way more to supply. His calmness, even once we misplaced that first wicket, and persevering with with that intent is an effective begin for him.

“However once more, that is merely the beginning of one thing. On the finish of it, he scored 20-odd (runs). Let’s give him that area; let him benefit from the second.”

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