Jasprit Bumrah like Mumbai housing prices, a luxury to have: Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya heaped rich praise on Jasprit Bumrah, calling the ace pacer a priceless asset after Mumbai Indians defeated Gujarat Titans by 20 runs in the IPL 2025 Eliminator on Friday. The MI captain said having Bumrah fit and firing at the business end of the tournament was nothing short of a luxury.In a high-scoring contest that produced 448 runs across 40 overs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Bumrah stood out once again with a miserly spell, conceding just 27 runs from his four overs. Against a quality Gujarat Titans batting unit, Bumrah was once again MI's trump card - delivering at the exact moment his captain needed him most.advertisement"It's like Mumbai housing prices - he's that expensive," Hardik quipped at the post-match presentation. "When you have that, it's a luxury. I was just watching the scoreboard and I thought if we can save a few runs for the end, I had the bowlers to defend it. It was important that Jassi came in and bowled that over to widen the margin," he added, explaining how Bumrah was strategically deployed.
Hardik admitted it wasn't complicated to captain a bowler of Bumrah's calibre, joking that it's simply a matter of summoning him when things begin to go awry."It's very simple. It's not difficult at all. Whenever you think the game is going away, just bring him," Hardik said with a grin.Two moments of brillianceWere these two the defining moments of the #Eliminator?Scorecard https://t.co/R4RTzjQfph#TATAIPL | #GTvMI | #TheLastMile | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/7hDL0s5Mye— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 30, 2025advertisementDespite MI posting a daunting 228, the chase was far from over at the halfway mark. Sai Sudharsan, who became the youngest batter to score 700 runs in an IPL season, was in sensational touch. Alongside Washington Sundar, the duo stitched together an 84-run stand off just 44 deliveries, taking Gujarat to 148 for 2 in 13 overs - and into striking distance.With the match slipping away, Hardik turned to his most trusted weapon. Bumrah answered with what many are calling the ball of the tournament - an unplayable toe-crushing yorker that castled Washington Sundar and halted Gujarat's momentum. Soon after, Sudharsan perished for a valiant 80, and with the required rate climbing, Gujarat's chase fizzled out.Bumrah's 14th over cost only four runs, and he returned to deliver another gem in the 18th - conceding just nine. The death-overs trio of Bumrah, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar and Richard Gleeson closed out the match clinically, giving Mumbai a comfortable win in the end.Bumrah now has 18 wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of just 6.36 - a scarcely believable return in a season dominated by batters.JONNY AND RO IMPRESS HARDIK Hardik also lauded Mumbai's opening pair, particularly Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow, for setting the tone with the bat. Rohit smashed a fluent 81 off 50 balls to claim the Player of the Match award, while Bairstow, playing his first game of the season, lit up the powerplay with a 22-ball 47.advertisement"The way Jonny batted for him to make his debut for us - it's a special franchise - and play the way he did, that was special," Hardik said. "And Ro the way he batted. He took his time, and once he got into rhythm, it was beautiful to watch."Mumbai Indians now head to Ahmedabad again, where they will face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 on Sunday for a place in the IPL 2025 final.Must Watch
IN THIS STORY#IPL 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Shubman Gill on Test captaincy: Building a bond with the players very important
As he gears up for his maiden Test series as the captain of the Indian team, Shubman Gill knows that he has big shoes to fill in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who retired from the format recently. But the youngster is looking forward to the challenge. 'The pressure is there on every tour. These (Kohli and Rohit) were two big players who had won so many matches for India, so it is difficult to fill their shoes. But the pressure is no different, and we are all used to playing in pressure situations and are aware of how to win,' Gill said on Thursday, before flying out to England. Having led the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League over the last couple of seasons, Gill understands that clear communication with the players will be the key to success. 'I wouldn't say that there is a particular style that I would like to follow, but the more you play, the more experience you get. I like communicating with the players, making them feel secure and providing them that comfort. Building a bond with the players is very important, and if you are the captain of a team, you have to do this,' Gill said, adding: 'If your players feel very secure, then only they can give you their 100 per cent.' Getting the captaincy was an 'overwhelming' feeling for Gill and he even practiced with the Dukes ball to gear up for the series. However, he has yet to decide his batting position. 'We haven't really decided on the position yet. We have a tour match in London, so we still have time to decide on the batting order,' he said. The series will also see the return of Karun Nair, and head coach Gautam Gambhir admitted that if one performs well in domestic cricket, the doors of the national team are never shut. Asked whether Shreyas Iyer could be called up, the coach said, 'Anyone can be called if they are in good form.'
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Not fazed by Bazball, Shubman Gill aims to craft own Test captaincy style
India's new Test captain Shubman Gill has said he does not intend to follow any particular style of leadership, instead hoping to shape his own identity as he gains experience. Gill, however, stressed his focus on providing teammates with clarity and a secure environment to perform at their was addressing the media for the first time since being appointed as India's Test captain. He and head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters on the eve of the team's departure to England for a five-match Test captain last month by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, Gill takes over following Rohit Sharma's retirement from Test cricket. He will lead a youthful and relatively inexperienced squad in England, with both Rohit and Virat Kohli stepping away from the longest format in June. "My style of captaincy will be my own; it will develop with experience. I will want to make the players feel safe, comfort them, and build strong bonds. Players need to feel secure... only then can they give 100 percent," said 25, Gill is among the youngest to lead the Indian Test side in recent years. While he lacks leadership experience in red-ball cricket, he captained India during a five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe in 2024 and led Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, embracing the pressure that comes with the in first-class cricket, Gill has captained Punjab in just five matches, winning only admitted he was overwhelmed upon learning of his appointment, having been chosen ahead of experienced players like Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul, both former captains."When I came to know about the Test captaincy, I was overwhelmed by the honour and the opportunity. It is a big responsibility, and I'm looking forward to the challenge," he NOT BOTHERED BY BAZBALL TALKS India's campaign in England will mark the beginning of a new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The first Test begins on 20 June at Headingley, under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, have reinvented their Test game with an ultra-aggressive style dubbed 'Bazball'. While they were outplayed by India in their 2023 away series, they remain formidable at home, having won 15 of their 20 Tests since the duo took however, remained unfazed by England's aggressive approach."They play a certain way. I think we saw that when they came to India as well," he said."It's very exciting for us. It gives us an opportunity, a great challenge. If we are very proactive with our execution and with our plans, I think it would put them under immense pressure."Tune In You May Also Like
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘We have not taken that call': Gautam Gambhir mum on which matches Jasprit Bumrah will play in England Test series
India coach Gautam Gambhir remained tight-lipped on which three of the five Tests Jasprit Bumrah will take part in when India take on England later this month. He also said that the Indian bowling unit has enough talent to plug in the gap in case of the premier pacer's unavailability. 'We have not taken that call that which three games we want (him) to play,' Gambhir said, though it is not certain if Bumrah would play only three Tests. 'Look it's always difficult to replace someone like Jasprit Bumrah but we have got enough quality. 'I have said it before (also) during the Champions Trophy as well that it gives someone else the opportunity to put his hand up and we have got enough talent. I know that he is a quality (bowler) but we have got enough quality in the squad,' Gambhir told the media during his pre-departure press conference with new Test captain Shubman Gill. The India coach also hinted that Bumrah's appearances will depend on how India are positioned in the series. 'Obviously we want to have a discussion with him and it depends on the series as well. A lot will depend on the results of the series as well (as to) where it is heading. That is something which I am very well aware of as well and that is important,' he said. Captain Gill, meanwhile, echoed the coach's words saying that the pace attack is quite capable of filling Gill also spoke in the same vein and said the Indian pace attack can not only fill in for Bumrah but also win Test matches from any situation. 'We have picked enough bowlers and we have enough pace battery and our fast bowlers are in a great space to be able to win us Test matches from any situation and any position,' he said. 'When you have Jasprit Bumrah… depending on how many matches you would play him, but whenever he would come back and play it would be a great sight for us, but I think we have a great mix and set of bowlers who can get the job done for the team,' he added.
