Irfan Pathan Goes All Out Attacking Hardik Pandya After MI's 103-Run Defeat To CSK

Hardik Pandya and Irfan Pathan have a love-hate relation. PC-AP/X

Hardik Pandya and Irfan Pathan become the centrepiece of headlines whenever Pandya performs or does not live up to his expectations. As a result, the two Baroda-based all-rounders have become frenemies in recent times.   

On Thursday evening, the Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians (MI) received a beating at the hands of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), losing to the fellow five-time champions by a margin of 103 runs.

Skipper Pandya was miserable as a bowler, batter and majorly as the captain of Mumbai. He bowled just two overs to leak 38 runs, while his bowling changes were questionable throughout the innings, especially giving young Krish Bhagat the 16th and 20th over against a well-set Sanju Samson, who later smashed a century. Additionally, he was dismissed early on 1 after facing two balls. 

The 21-year-old Bhagat was tonked for 15 runs in his first over, while he gave away 16 in the final over of the innings. 

Irfan Pathan hammers Hardik Pandya

While hammering Hardik Pandya's move to bowl Krish Bhagat over himself, Irfan Pathan heavily criticised the Mumbai captain. He further pointed out his move to widen up the stance, which has resulted in dip in his strike rate against spin. 

"You are giving 15th or 16th over to a bowler (Krish Bhagat), who is just playing his second game (in the IPL), against a well-set Sanju Samson. That was certainly not a good decision. Then, you give the final over to the same bowler against Samson, again not a good idea. You should take the responsibility. You need to be proactive as a captain," Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube channel while questioning Hardik Pandya. 

Also Read: MS Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya In Same Team To Back New Cricket Game

"In batting, too, you came and played a big shot early on. There was pressure, but you yourself are out of form. Since 2023, Hardik hasn't scored a single fifty in the IPL. He needs to move his feet, when there is something for spinners. He has changed his stance, he has widen it a bit. He has been able to hit pacers more, but his game against spin has dipped as a result. We saw the similar in the T20 World Cup too," Pathan added. 

Watch: Irfan Pathan mocks Hardik Pandya after MI's loss to CSK

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🔴 Irfan Pathan Slams Hardik's Captaincy & Batting. He said 🗣️: "In the 15th or 16th over, you bring on Krish Bhagat to bowl his first over. He is playing only his second match, and that too in front of Sanju Samson, who is completely set. It’s a wrong decision. You also gave

Apr 24, 2026, 7:52 AM

Ravi Ashwin team up with Pathan, mocks Hardik Pandya

Former CSK superstar Ravichandran Ashwin also questioned his former India teammate Hardik Pandya for his captaincy. The champion off-spinner took a leaf from Pandya's illustrious past, when he bowled two clutch overs in the T20 World Cup final back in 2024. 

“With Hardik Pandya, I don’t have any personal relationship with him, but I always feel that he is a box office player. It is easy to say things about Hardik Pandya now, but today, when he gave Krish Bhagat the final over, I admit that Pandya went for 38 runs in two overs. But if a player can bowl the final over of the 2024 T20 World Cup against David Miller, you can bowl this too, right?” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

In Barbados, two years ago, Pandya bowled a spell of his life when he outfoxed the hard-hitting Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, as India won their second T20 World Cup title. 

Irfan Pathan, Hardik Pandya's love-hate relationship

Both Hardik Pandya and Irfan Pathan hail from Baroda and have been similar sorts of all-rounders for India. Although Pandya has become a far superior cricketer, he once idolised Irfan Pathan at a young age.

However, their relationship had hit a rough patch, particularly after the senior all-rounder started taking shots at his successor in the IPL 2024, when Pandya was controversially traded from Gujarat to MI. 

Fast-forward to 2026, Pandya and Pathan shared an awkward moment after India’s triumph in the 2026 T20 World Cup, when the junior statesman greeted his predecessor by putting a hand on his shoulder coldly.  

Nevertheless, MI has lost five out of seven matches in IPL 2026 under Hardik Pandya's captaincy. Although he is touted as one of the shrewdest leaders in the country, currently.  

Also Read: Angry Ambanis Leave Wankhede Stadium Midway As CSK Puncture MI