Gautam Gambhir Slams AB de Villiers Over IPL Criticism of Hardik Pandya

Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has come to the defense of Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya, who has been facing criticism for his team's performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. - Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen and former South Africa and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star AB de Villiers had criticized Pandya's captaincy, suggesting that he lacks experience and tactical acumen. - Gambhir, however, believes that such criticism is unfair, especially from De Villiers, who has never won an IPL title as a captain. "What was their own performance like when they were the captain? I don't think, be it Kevin Pietersen or AB de Villiers, they had any performance in their career with leadership. Nothing. If you pick and see their records, I think they are worse than any other leader. I don't think AB de Villiers has achieved anything in the IPL apart from his own scores," Gambhir said in an interaction with Sportskeeda.

Hardik Pandya's Performance as MI Captain

Pandya was appointed as MI captain ahead of the IPL 2024 season, replacing Rohit Sharma, who had led the team to five IPL titles. However, under Pandya's leadership, MI has struggled, winning only four out of their 13 matches so far. - The team's poor performance has led to calls for Pandya to be replaced as captain, with some suggesting that he is not experienced enough to handle the pressure of leading a franchise like MI. - However, Gambhir believes that Pandya is still a young captain and should be given time to prove himself. "Hardik Pandya is still an IPL-winning captain. So you should only compare oranges to oranges. Not apple to oranges," Gambhir said.

RCB's Chances of Reaching the Playoffs

While MI's playoff hopes are all but over, RCB is still in contention for a top-four finish. The Bengaluru-based franchise needs to win its final game of the league campaign against Chennai Super Kings and hope that certain other results fall in their favor. - RCB has been in impressive form in recent matches, winning four of their last five games. - The team's hopes will rest on the shoulders of their star batsman, Virat Kohli, who has been in sensational form this season, scoring three centuries in his last five innings. - If RCB can beat CSK and other results go their way, they will qualify for the playoffs and have a chance to challenge for their maiden IPL title.