Virender Sehwag slammed Mumbai Indians Captain Hardik Pandya's bowling changes, which he believes were one of the key reasons for their defeat against Punjab Kings on Monday.
Despite Deepak Chahar sustaining an injury and getting his hamstring strapped while bowling his first over, Hardik persisted with him.
Chahar, who started with a maiden over, struggled with his rhythm after the injury as he went for 28 runs in his next two overs -- the fourth and sixth over of Punjab Kings' innings.
Sehwag believes that Hardik should have brought on Jasprit Bumrah or bowled himself instead of allowing Chahar to continue, which resulted in MI losing the momentum.
'After Deepak Chahar got strapping done on his hamstring, Pandya made him bowl two overs. His first over was a maiden but after that (the injury) he gave away 28 runs in his next two overs and I believe the match shifted towards Punjab Kings from that point onwards,' Sehwag said in a video posted by Star Sports on X.
'If he hadn't given Chahar his second over which was the fourth over of the match, and if Bumrah had bowled that over or maybe Hardik himself or Ashwani Kumar then MI wouldn't have conceded 17 runs in that over and since Bumrah got a wicket in the next over Punjab Kings would have been under pressure at that stage.'
Chasing 185 for victory, Punjab Kings registered an emphatic seven-wicket win with nine balls to spare courtesy of sparkling fifties from Priyansh Arya (62) and Josh Inglis (73) as they jumped to top of the points table to seal a top-two finish.
'I am very disappointed with Hardik's captaincy, especially his bowling changes. When the bowling changes were needed at important stages, he didn't do it and I think because of that MI went on the backfoot,' added Sehwag.
© 2026