Former Indian spinner Murali Kartik questioned Mumbai Indians for their utilisation of Shardul Thakur after they suffered a six-wicket loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday.

MI’s think tank added Shardul Thakur as Impact Player in the second innings but surprisingly Hardik Pandya didn’t gave him the ball when they were defending a target of 244. 

Before the clash against Orange Army, Thakur had scalped six wickets in as many games, but he bowled at an average of 31.57 and an economy rate of 13.57.

Meanwhile, all the MI bowlers conceded their runs at an economy rate of more than 10 as they were taken to the cleaners by SRH batters.

“I don’t understand it at all, why did they even bring him in? Maybe they forgot about him. Only god can tell us why this was done, or Hardik Pandya. So far, he has played five matches, and he did not pick a wicket in only one match. He took 3 wickets against KKR as well,” Murali Kartik said on Cricbuzz.

On the other hand, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag questioned Hardik Pandya’s captaincy and said Thakur has always been a wicket-taker.

“If you have brought him on as an impact sub, then he should have bowled atleast one over, he is a wicket-taking bowler. He could have got a wicket somehow, so they should have definitely tried. Only Hardik Pandya can tell us why Shardul Thakur wasn’t bowled because, since he has come, he always takes a wicket no matter how much he gets beaten,” Virender Sehwag said.

Mumbai Indians will next take on arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Saturday.