Hardik Pandya Returns To Fitness After Missing Out One IPL Game; Ready For RR Bout

Hardik Pandya is fit to return for Mumbai Indians against Rajasthan Royals, while Paras Mhambrey defends Rohit Sharma’s importance.

Hardik Pandya is set to make his comeback for the Mumbai Indians in their upcoming clash against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. The MI captain had missed the previous game against Delhi Capitals due to illness, which forced the team to reshuffle their lineup.

Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey confirmed that Pandya is fully fit and ready to play after participating in training sessions.

“He will be available. We had a good couple of hours of net sessions yesterday, so he’s fit and fine. I think that’s something (adjusting team combinations due to injuries) that you’ll have to take. Injuries are something that you can’t control. But I think we got the team, we got enough guys out there to make the mix and match, and looking at the surface and combinations,” Mhambrey said at the pre-match press conference on Monday.

MI Adjusted Combination in Pandya’s Absence

Pandya’s absence in the last match led Mumbai Indians to tweak their playing XI. Corbin Bosch stepped in as the all-rounder, while Deepak Chahar replaced Trent Boult to balance the overseas slots.

However, MI struggled with the bat on a slow surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, managing only 162/6. The Delhi Capitals chased down the target comfortably, powered by a brilliant 90 from Sameer Rizvi.

Pandya’s return is expected to strengthen both the batting and bowling departments, especially considering his strong record against Rajasthan Royals, where he has scored 506 runs at an average of 72.29 and a strike rate of 173.29, along with 12 wickets.

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Mhambrey Defends Rohit Sharma’s Role in Team

Mhambrey also addressed questions regarding Rohit Sharma’s performance, dismissing suggestions that his contributions should be seen as a bonus. He emphasized the veteran’s overall value to the team beyond just statistics, while also backing Tilak Varma amid a slow start to the season.

“I don’t think anyone doubted Rohit’s performance, right? I don’t think his performing or not performing is a bonus. We don’t look at it that way. We look at it in terms of what he brings to the table, you know, other than the cricket as well. It’s the expertise, the experience, the chat on the field with the bowlers, with the batters. I think he adds a lot of value. So for us, I think it’s a lot more holistic, a lot more all-around approach. It’s too early for us to look into the performances or forms. It’s just 2 games into it. So yeah, I think just give him a couple of other games as well, and we’ll see how it goes for us,” he said.

With Pandya returning and the team backing its senior players, Mumbai Indians will be aiming to bounce back strongly in their next encounter.