Mumbai Indians found a new poster boy in their win last evening over the Delhi Daredevils at Vishakhapatnam. All-rounder Krunal Pandya, promoted to number 3 simply massacred the Daredevils bowlers as the southpaw was simply belligerent. Pandya with his knock last evening proved his abilities as a genuine all-rounder and the Mumbai Indians have unearthed a gem in him.
Post Mumbai’s comprehensive win, coach Ricky Ponting spoke to the media and lauded Pandya. Ponting was fully in awe of Pandya and even called him a “special” player. The former Australian skipper said that the knock from the left-hander could well be the season changer for Mumbai Indians and he was simply unbelievable.
“Krunal was unbelievable last night,” said Ponting. There’re some amazing innings in the tournament so far but when you think about this being his first year of IPL cricket, not necessarily being a top order batsman either, but to go out and play for us like that was a game-changing moment for us. Also, it could be a season-changing moment for MI. Look, he’s got a smart head on his shoulders, there’s no doubt about that. He’s only 25. It seems like he handles situations better than most 25-year-olds. He’s been a great find for MI this season,” Ponting added.
“Yesterday’s game was our best for the whole tournament. For a very crucial game, which we had to win, we were thrilled to put up a performance like that when it really mattered the most. It just goes to show the level of cricket our team is capable of if they play to their strengths and back themselves whatever the situation of the game may be,” Ponting added.
The Australian though, wasn’t too pleased with his side’s schedule as a five-day break was not the most ideal thing. “The unfortunate thing for us is we’ve got six days before our next game. We’ll find a way to switch off for the next couple of days and make sure we’re prepared for Gujarat Lions in our last game,” concluded Ponting.