T20 World Cup 2024: This season of the Indian Premier League has not been anything special so far for Mumbai Indians and its captain Hardik Pandya. For a team which has won the title 5 times so far, the season can be called quite bad. Mumbai may have brought former Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya into its fold and given him the responsibility of captaincy, but he does not seem to be living up to the expectations yet. Meanwhile, questions are also being raised whether Hardik Pandya will be able to join the Indian team for the T20 World Cup. Because leave aside the matter of captaincy, Hardik has not been able to do anything special as a batsman till now.
Hardik Pandya’s performance so far
Let us first take a look at Hardik Pandya’s performance so far in this year’s Indian Premier League. He has played 6 matches. In this, only 131 runs are recorded in his account. His average is 26.20, while he is batting at a strike rate of 145.55. Hardik does not have even a single half-century to his name yet. His highest score is 39 runs. He has hit 11 fours and 6 sixes. He is currently at number 30 in the list of batsmen who have scored the most runs.
Hardik is bowling but is also giving a lot of runs.
Hardik’s focus at the moment seems to be more on bowling. Although he is taking wickets, he is also getting beaten a lot. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he took one wicket for 46 runs. Whereas against RCB he gave 13 runs and did not get any success. After this, he may have taken two wickets in the match against CSK, but during this period he spent 43 runs. Against Chennai Super Kings, he decided to bowl the 20th over of the innings, in which he gave 26 runs. Dhoni hit three sixes on three consecutive balls and this was the time when the match completely turned upside down. Hardik gave 26 runs in the last over and the team lost the match by 20 runs. That means, because of this last over, Mumbai had to face defeat somewhere.
Shivam Dubey’s claim is very strong
Now let us look at the figures of Shivam Dubey also. Who are staking claim to be included in the T20 World Cup team. Playing for CSK, Shivam Dubey has scored 242 runs in 6 matches. His average is 60.50, while he is batting at a strike rate of 163.52. He has two half-centuries to his name so far. Dubey has hit 20 fours and 15 sixes so far. His highest score is 66 runs not out. Now it is almost certain that only one player among Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dubey will get a place in Team India. Even if both the players are selected in the 15, then only one will be able to be in the playing eleven.
Dubey is not being made to bowl.
Meanwhile, the question is which player will join the Indian team for the T20 World Cup. If the performance so far is considered as the basis, then Shivam Dubey is a much better option than Hardik. But the problem is that CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has not yet made Shivam Dubey bowl, whereas Hardik Pandya may be giving runs, but he is taking wickets. This is a plus point, which goes in favor of Hardik. Although there is still a lot of tournament left, the figures will change in this, but now there is very little time for Team India to be selected. It remains to be seen what decision the BCCI selection committee takes when it sits.
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