Virender Sehwag Critiques Hardik Pandya's Bowling Decisions in IPL 2025 Match

In a recent IPL 2025 match, former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag criticized Hardik Pandya's bowling decisions during Mumbai Indians' defeat to Punjab Kings. Sehwag pointed out a significant tactical error involving Deepak Chahar that shifted the game's momentum. Despite a strong start, Chahar's later overs proved costly, leading to a swift chase by PBKS. This analysis sheds light on the importance of strategic decisions in high-stakes matches, as Punjab Kings secured the top spot in the league, while MI now faces a challenging Eliminator against Gujarat Titans.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 28, 2025, 07:42 IST

Sehwag's Analysis of Pandya's Captaincy

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag expressed strong criticism regarding Hardik Pandya's bowling strategies during the Mumbai Indians' seven-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings in their last league match of IPL 2025.

While commenting on Star Sports, Sehwag highlighted a crucial tactical mistake that he believes allowed PBKS to gain an advantage in their run chase.

"I mentioned this during the commentary. Even after Deepak Chahar had his hamstring strapped, Hardik allowed him to bowl two overs. Chahar started well with a maiden over but then gave away 28 runs in the following two overs. This shift in momentum favored Punjab Kings. If Chahar had not bowled his second over and instead, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, or Ashwani Kumar had taken it, those 17 runs could have been avoided, putting pressure on PBKS. Bumrah did concede some runs, which is expected, but as a captain, Hardik's bowling changes disappointed me. He failed to make timely adjustments, leaving MI at a disadvantage," Sehwag stated on Star Sports.

Punjab Kings successfully chased down a target of 185 runs in just 18.3 overs, with Inglis and Arya leading the scoring. Sehwag's remarks underscore how Chahar's costly overs shifted the match's momentum despite his initial control.

PBKS Claims Top Spot, MI Faces GT in Eliminator

With this decisive victory, Punjab Kings not only clinched the top position in the IPL 2025 standings but also secured a spot in the Qualifiers. They are set to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first Qualifier. Conversely, Mumbai Indians fell to fourth place and will compete against Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator.

MI scored 184/7 after batting first, with Suryakumar Yadav contributing 57 runs off 39 balls and Hardik Pandya adding 26 runs off 15 balls. PBKS's chase was spearheaded by Priyansh Arya's 62 runs and Josh Inglis's impressive 73 runs off 42 balls. Their aggressive partnership left MI's bowlers struggling, with only Jasprit Bumrah managing to contain runs, giving away just 23 runs in his four overs.

Deepak Chahar, who bowled a maiden over initially, was hit hard in his subsequent two overs, finishing with figures of 3-1-28-0. Both Hardik and Ashwani Kumar also faced difficulties, conceding 29 and 16 runs respectively in their brief spells.