Kris Srikkanth discussed the poor performance of Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma in IPL 2026 after the Mumbai Indians were defeated by the Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets on Saturday, May 2, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Hardik scored only 18 runs off 23 balls on a challenging pitch. He also bowled two overs, giving away 17 runs. Srikkanth criticized Hardik for not bowling during the power play and opting to use young Krish Bhagat, who conceded 18 runs.
The former India opener expressed that Hardik seemed hesitant to bowl when fielding restrictions were in effect. Regarding Hardik’s batting, Srikkanth pointed out that he needs to improve his technique against short balls, as bowlers will target his weaknesses.
“Hardik Pandya can’t connect with the ball well, and he is hesitant with his bowling. He gave the ball to Krish Bhagat during the powerplay instead of taking the chance himself. Teams are hitting Bhagat hard, yet Hardik is afraid to bowl,” Srikkanth mentioned on his YouTube channel.
“Hardik Pandya is performing poorly. As captain, he seemed lost during the middle and end overs. It’s unclear what Hardik was trying to do. Bowlers will not give him any easy balls in the future; they will keep it short and target his body. Teams are managing to contain him entirely,” he added.
Srikkanth Critiques Tilak Varma’s Performance
Srikkanth also criticized Tilak Varma, who managed only five runs off eight balls on Saturday. The 1983 World Cup winner noted that Tilak has struggled in all matches this season except for one, where he scored an unbeaten 101 against the Gujarat Titans.
“Tilak Varma has been struggling at the crease. Aside from that one century, he has been underperforming this season. A single good game isn’t enough. He should be replaced with a new batter,” Srikkanth stated.