‘He’s trying to act like he's so happy’ - Kevin Pietersen Reflects on Hardik Pandya hiding his miseries in IPL 2024

Former English cricketer Kevin Pietersen recently opined on Hardik Pandya’s fake smile over Mumbai Indians repeated failures in the Indian Premier league. The hosts recently incurred a 20 run loss against their arch rivals Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium last night and have been pushed down to the number eighth spot on the IPL 2024 points table. 

In the first innings, the Mumbai Indians skipper was brutally thrashed by the Chennai Super Kings batters. Pandya picked two wickets however, he conceded 43 runs in the three overs he bowled with an economy of 14.3, including the three gigantic sixes the former CSK captain MS Dhoni smashed him in the final over and later managed to score 2 runs off 6 deliveries. 

Kevin Pietersen reflects on Hardik Pandya’s poor performances in IPL 2024

Kevin reflected on Hardik Pandya being massively attacked by the fans on several public platforms which is affecting his performances even though he puts on a happy face despite being unhappy from inside. 

"What I saw this evening wasn't good enough. I saw a captain that had plan A from a team meeting that was five hours ago and a captain that didn't want to go to plan B when he should have gone to plan B. Like how on this Earth have you not bowled a spinner when your seamers are going for 20. Brian Lara said can we please bowl a spinner? Somebody needs to bowl here. You need to change the pace of the game," Kevin Pietersen told Star Sports. 

The English captain discussed that Hardik is trying to put on a fake smile when he is being booed at toss and other events even though it bothers him. 
 

"It's affecting him, it's affecting his cricket and something needs to happen" - #KevinPietersen on Hardik's last over vs @msdhoni and the ups and downs of his captaincy!

📹 | Watch the legends of the game, #SunilGavaskar and @KP24 talk more about @hardikpandya7's leadership!… pic.twitter.com/QxCKE6KXf8

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 14, 2024

 

He added, "I actually think with Hardik Pandya everything away from the game is affecting him so much. He's smiling too much when he does the toss, he's trying to act like he's so happy. He's not happy. I've been there. I've been in the firing line and I've been in the firing line properly, he knows I've been in the firing line, you know, I've been in the firing line and I can tell you now, it affects you." 

Kevin Pietersen further discussed that Hardik Pandya is an Indian cricketer and he does not want to be treated like this however he continues to take the trolls gracefully. 

"If what's happening to Hardik Pandya, the boos that we've just been hearing now and how happy they are to see the CSK former captain, the lion (MS Dhoni) smacking him all over the park, it hurts you because he has emotion and he's an Indian player. And he doesn't want to be treated like this. So when this is happening, it's affecting him. It's affecting his cricket and something needs to happen," Kevin Pietersen concluded. 

Mumbai Indians will next lock horns with Punjab Kings on 18th April at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.