Rohit Sharma ORDERS Hardik Pandya to go to boundary line vs SRH, just like Pandya did to him vs GT

As Sunrisers Hyderabad dominated with their aggressive batting, Hardik Pandya appeared uncertain in his role. Instead, it was the former Mumbai Indians captain, Rohit Sharma, who took the initiative to lead the team's on-field strategies. Rohit directed Hardik to patrol the boundary areas, aiming to capitalize on potential catching opportunities.

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Rohit Sharma takes over captaincy duties after SRH onslaught

The unexpected leadership dynamic between Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma garnered attention, especially since Mumbai Indians had recently declared Hardik as their captain for IPL 2024. However, faced with Sunrisers Hyderabad's onslaught, Rohit stepped in to guide the team.

Recognizing the need to adapt the field placements, Rohit Sharma strategically positioned Hardik Pandya to guard the boundaries. Given Hardik's agility and proficiency in catching, this decision was pivotal to potentially secure crucial catches near the boundary lines.

Interestingly, a similar situation unfolded in a previous match between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians. In that game, Hardik Pandya had surprised Rohit Sharma by placing him at long on. Despite the initial surprise, Rohit adjusted to his new position and later succeeded in taking a catch, highlighting the duo's ability to adapt and contribute effectively on the field.

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Records tumbled left-right and centre as Sunrisers Hyderabad smashed 277 for three, the highest total in IPL history, to leave Mumbai Indians shell shocked here on Wednesday. Travis Head (62 off 24) and Abhishek Sharma (63 off 23) came up with a sensational display of power-hitting, that saw the latter snatching the franchise record for fastest fifty from the Australian within minutes.

Heinrich Klaasen (80 not out off 34 balls) provided the fireworks in the end to help SRH break an 11-year-old record. The previous highest total in IPL was 263 for five achieved by Royal Challengers Bangalore back in 2013. It was raining fours and sixes throughout the innings as Head and Sharma toyed with the Mumbai Indians attack.

(With PTI inputs)