‘They have a man behind the stumps telling them what's working’ - Hardik Pandya namedrops MS Dhoni while reflecting on MI’s loss to CSK

Hosts Mumbai Indians (MI) faced their fourth defeat of the ongoing IPL 2024 (Indian Premier League) season. The side faced Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and lost the game by 20 runs. 

There were several performances that made an impact in the clash, but it was the showings of MS Dhoni and Matheesha Pathirana that stood out. Coming in to bat in the final over of the first innings, the legendary former CSK skipper hit three consecutive sixes against Pandya, propelling CSK to a total of 206 runs. 

Defending the target, Pathirana impressed with the ball in his hand. The star pacer conceded 28 runs to his name and managed to take four crucial wickets, winning the game for his side. After the clash, MI skipper Hardik Pandya came forward to reflect on how crucial the performances of Dhoni and Pathirana were for Chennai. 

"Definitely, gettable. But they bowled pretty well, and Pathirana was the difference. They were smart with their plans and used the longer boundary well. They got the hang of it, and they have a man behind the stumps telling them what's working," Pandya said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Read More: MS Dhoni whacks Pandya for monstrous six at Wankhede- MI vs CSK IPL 2024

The ball was slightly gripping, and they got ahead of the game: Pandya

Furthermore, Hardik Pandya talked about how Pathirana ended up being the difference maker in the game. Mumbai looked to be running away from the game after openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan put in brilliant performances. However, Pathirana’s very first over saw him dismiss Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, putting the odds back in CSK’s favour.

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"The ball was slightly gripping, and they got ahead of the game. Until Pathirana came, we were on course for the total. It was just about what was best at that point (on whether they could have used a spinner to Dube?). For seamers, it was more difficult to hit on this wicket. We are now on the road for the next four games. If we are smart, we can get the goal we want," Pandya concluded.