IPL 2021: Chris Lynn reveals why Hardik Pandya didn’t bowl against RCB

Mumbai Indians’ (MI) Chris Lynn said that “a bit of a shoulder niggle” didn’t allow Hardik Pandya to bowl in the opening game of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Hardik didn’t bowl in the 2020 IPL as well and returned to bowling in India’s tour of Australia after which he also rolled his arms over in the limited-overs series against England.

The 31-year-old Lynn stated that bearing in mind the amount of workload, Hardik refrained from bowling as a precautionary measure. Lynn, however, admitted that the Mumbai-based team yearned for a sixth bowling option in the IPL 2021 opener at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

We’ll see Hardik Pandya with the ball sooner rather than later: Chris Lynn

“I’m not a hundred percent sure but it’s a bit of a shoulder niggle. I think Hardik Pandya, not bowling is maybe more precautionary. He’s played a fair bit of cricket leading up to this tournament, in which he has to play (minimum) 14 games as well.

“So you don’t want to throw your eggs in one basket and risk injury. The physios and the staff doctors will treat Hardik if there’s something wrong,” Lynn was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.

“He is a huge factor with the bat but if he gets bowling, then it adds another dimension to the team. We might have been missing the sixth bowler tonight but it’s early stages in the tournament. I do believe if Hardik is bowling then it brings out confidence in his batting as well. So fingers crossed we’ll see him with the ball sooner rather than later,” he added.

Even as he didn’t bowl, Hardik didn’t have an auspicious day with the bat either. He managed a 10-ball 13 with two fours before Harshal Patel trapped him plumb in front. Lynn, on the contrary, had a satisfactory day as he scored 49 runs off 35 balls with four fours and three sixes.

After losing their opening game by two wickets, Rohit Sharma and Co are next scheduled to lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday, April 13 at the Chepauk itself.