Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma has confirmed that Hardik Pandya looks fine and will feature in the next fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Pandya twisted his ankle during the first game against CSK. The incident took place off the final delivery of the Mumbai Indians innings bowled by Dwayne Bravo. Pandya wanted to go for a second run but twisted his ankle.
“He’s looking good for now. He twisted his ankle, but he came (back on the field) and bowled four overs. We still have three days (for the next match, against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 12). I think he will be fine,” Sharma told earlier today.
Rohit was present at the launching party of ‘AlphaBounce Beyond’, a running footwear by Adidas, in presence of his teammate Kieron Pollard.
However, Mumbai lost the first match against CSK by a solitary wicket banking on a 30-ball 68 by Dwayne Bravo and some late hitting by Kedar Jadhav.
Sharma admitted that they were in the game till the 17th over and it is tough to contain batsman in Wankhede.
“Everyone saw what happened. There were certain things that we did not do right in the pressure situation. That’s all. We were in the game till the 17th over. In the last three overs, the game drifted away from us,” Rohit asserted.
“You cannot do much about it. At Wankhede, it is always difficult to contain batsmen once they are set. With the dew and all those factors, it is very hard for the bowlers, but that is not an excuse. I am just trying to say what exactly happened on that day and in that particular over,” Mumbai added.
Moreover, Rohit backed Jasprit Bumrah, who went for 20 runs in the penultimate over. The skipper said that he had a rare off-day and reckoned him as the best bowler of the side.
Debutant Mayank Markande had impressed with his figures of 3-23, including the prize scalp of Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma lauded the leg-spinner.
“He has got great control of whatever he does, so, I think going forward he will be a great weapon for us. You never know, he has got great skills and potentially he is good. It’s just about going out there and doing what he is doing. For us, me and Mahela (Jayawardene), as captain and coach, we just have to be supporting this guy. He has got everything that he needs to be successful at the highest level,” Sharma concluded.
