'Decision-making was spot on' - Piyush Chawla lauds Hardik Pandya after one-sided triumph vs KKR

Piyush Chawla heaped praise on Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya, asserting that his aggressive captaincy played a massive role in helping the five-time champions ease past Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday, March 31.

Chawla, a former MI player, said that Hardik gauged that the conditions were conducive for the pacers and he used them effectively. The ex-India spinner was also impressed with Hardik's call to bring on left-arm wrist-spinner Vignesh Puthur when Harshit Rana came out to bat. The move paid dividends as Rana went for the big shot against the youngster and holed out to deep mid-wicket.

"I think the best part of his captaincy was his attacking approach. He read the conditions well and understood that there was something in the pitch for the seamers, so he used them effectively. One move I particularly liked was when Vignesh [Puthur] came in to bowl while Harshit Rana was batting towards the end," he said on JioHotstar.

Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar picked up wickets with the new ball before debutant Ashwani Kumar was introduced in the fourth over of the powerplay. The left-arm pacer struck off his first delivery as he dismissed KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane. Ashwani eventually finished with excellent figures of 4/24 in three overs. He became the first Indian player to bag a four-for on his IPL debut.

"You want to get that wicket rather than letting the opposition add another 10-15 runs with Ramandeep Singh still there. Overall, his decision-making was spot on. When a partnership was building between Manish Pandey and Rinku Singh, he brought Ashwani Kumar into the attack, and that over, changed the game. The team executed their plans perfectly today," Chawla noted.

"The way he came in, it's never easy to make such a strong debut, especially at Wankhede, which is known as a batting paradise. Getting a wicket with the very first ball gives any bowler immense confidence. After that, he bowled with great control, varying his lengths effectively," he added.

Chawla also pointed out how well Ashwani set up Andre Russell. The 23-year-old bowled a couple of short balls before following it up with a length ball which Russell made a mess off and saw his stumps getting disturbed.

"His dismissal of Andre Russell was particularly impressive - he set it up beautifully. He bowled a couple of bouncers when Russell walked in, making him expect the short ball, and then smartly pitched one up to get him out. For a debutant who hasn't played much first-class cricket, coming in at this level and delivering such a spell is an incredible achievement," he added.

KKR were bowled out for just 116 in 16.2 overs. The home side chased the paltry total in just 12.5 overs with eight wickets to spare.