Hardik Pandya: India's ‘Clutch God’ who disappears for Mumbai Indians

In India colours, Hardik has bowled 179 balls in overs 16-20 and conceded 274 runs at an economy of 9.18 since 2024. He has averaged 15.2, taking 18 wickets in the same period.

For MI, the junior Pandya has conceded 208 runs in 88 balls since 2024 and his economy rate has been 14.18. This means Hardik concedes five more runs per over when bowling for MI in death overs compared to India in T20Is.

The striking difference in Hardik’s strike rates in 'death

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Since 2024, between overs 16-20, Hardik has played 302 balls in 26 innings for India, scoring 556 runs at a convincing strike rate of 184.1. The all-rounder has averaged 29.3 with the bat in the same period while hitting a six every 7.7 ball.

For MI, Hardik Pandya's numbers fall drastically. Since 2024, the right-handed batter has faced 173 balls in the IPL between overs 16-20, scoring 270 runs and his strike rate falls to 156.1. Hardik has averaged 15.0 and hits a six every 11.53 balls.

Dig deep and you'll find the problem laid bare.

Since 2024, only five batters (Surya, Tilak, Naman Dhir, Tim David, and Pandya) have played 50 or more balls for MI in overs 16-20 in the IPL. Among those, Hardik Pandya, while scoring the most runs for MI in this period, has struck at just 156.1 which is the worst among the five.

The closest to Pandya is Tim David, who scored at 181.42 when he was part of MI in 2024. Surya has scored with the highest strike rate in this period, at 204.71.

For India too, Pandya has scored the most runs (556) in overs 16-20 since 2024. But his strike rate shoots up to 184.11, which is the third best among all Indian batters who have faced at least 50 balls in the same phase.

The missing aura

The above numbers do not suggest that MI's dismal performance in two of the last three IPL seasons has all been due to Hardik, far from it. However, the MI captain has not been at his best for the franchise since his return in 2024, compared to his performance for India during the same period.

Whether captaincy pressure is the factor for this dip is the question that only Hardik himself can answer. But numbers tell that Hardik hasn't had the same impact for Mumbai Indians since his return in 2024.

For India, Hardik Pandya is the player trusted to bowl difficult overs and finish matches with the bat. But since returning to Mumbai Indians in 2024, he has not had the same impact in the IPL. The numbers show that the player India depends on has looked different while playing for MI.