The moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived and it came with drama. Jasprit Bumrah picked up his first wicket of the season in his sixth match, setting off an emotional reaction from Hardik Pandya. The Mumbai Indians captain lifted Jasprit Bumrah in celebration after he dismissed Sai Sudharsan for a golden duck.
The breakthrough came at the Narendra Modi Stadium where Bumrah struck with the very first ball of Gujarat Titans’ chase of 200. Before this, he had gone 19 overs without a wicket this season. Notably, it was also the first time he was given the new ball.
After the match, Hardik Pandya addressed criticism about why Jasprit Bumrah hadn’t opened the bowling earlier. He pointed out that across Bumrah’s 138 (now 151) IPL appearances, he has bowled the first over only 8 or 9 times. According to Hardik Pandya, this is not a captaincy issue but a strategic choice.
He explained that Jasprit Bumrah’s strength lies in being used whenever the team needs him the most rather than strictly at the start. However, for this game, the team decided to attack early, believing no one was better suited than Bumrah to make an immediate impact.
Hardik Pandya also highlighted how crucial the win was, especially after four consecutive losses that followed a strong start to the season. He admitted that playing in Ahmedabad has historically been tough for Mumbai Indians, making this victory even more satisfying.
Looking ahead, Mumbai Indians will face Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
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