IPL 2024: 'Bravado and Ego driven..' AB de Villiers has his say on Hardik Pandya's captaincy style for MI

Hardik Pandya-led MI became the first team to get eliminated from IPL 2024.

South Africa legend and former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player Ab de Villiers has raised questions about Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya’s leadership style in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

All-rounder Hardik was traded from the Gujarat Titans (GT) to Mumbai in an all-cash deal ahead of the IPL 2024. Panyda captained Gujarat for two seasons and also guided them to IPL title in 2022.

After an all-cash trade between the two franchises, Hardik was named captain of the MI replacing Rohit Sharma.

In his first IPL season as MI skipper, Hardik is having a disastrous run. Pandya-led side became the first team to get eliminated from the IPL in 2024. In 12 matches, the five-time champions have lost eight games while winning just four. Since then, many cricket pundits have raised questions about Hardik’s leadership and de Villiers is one among them.

It’s ego-driven: AB de Villiers on Hardik Pandya captaincy style at Mumbai Indians

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the South African legend felt that Pandya’s leadership in Mumbai might be the reason for their horrific run in the IPL 2024. De Villiers further added that Hardik’s captaincy style is ego-driven.

“Hardik Pandya’s captaincy style is quite bravado. It’s ego-driven in a way, chest out, but when you play with a lot of experienced players who’ve been around for ages, they don’t buy into that.” AB de Villiers said.

“I don’t think how he walks on the field is always genuine, but he has decided that is his way of captaincy.” he added.

His leadership worked at the Gujarat Titans: Ab de Villiers

De Villiers said that Pandya’s stint with Gujarat as a skipper worked for him and the franchise as there were many young players in the squad. The former cricketer added that the inexperienced players in Gujarat had a good bond with Pandya, and they followed his ego-driven captaincy.

“It (Hardik Pandya’s captaincy) worked at GT, where it was a younger team. Sometimes, inexperienced players love to follow that kind of leadership.” de Villiers said.

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