‘That wasn't the right thing to do’ - Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag accuse Hardik Pandya of disturbing Mohit Sharma during last over in IPL 2023 Final

On 29 May 2023, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT) played an epic IPL final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. In the last over, CSK needed 13 runs when Mohit Sharma came up to bowl. He bowled brilliant four deliveries and conceded only three runs. Before the fifth delivery, skipper Hardik Pandya went to him and had a chat.

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A player from the dugout also came up to him with drinks. But, in the next two balls, he got smashed for 10 runs and CSK won that final. So, regarding that, the former Team India players, Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag have now accused Pandya of disturbing the bowler during that over.

“If I would have been there, I wouldn't have disturbed him.” – Virender Sehwag

While speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said: “He bowled that first 3-4 deliveries absolutely brilliantly. Then for some strange reason some water was sent to him, in the middle of an over. Then Hardik came and spoke to him. When the bowler is in that rhythm and he is mentally also there, nobody should have said anything to him. Nothing at all. From a distance just say well bowled. Going to him, talking to him, that wasn't the right thing to do. Suddenly Mohit was looking here and there.”

While speaking to Cricbuzz, Sehwag said: “When some is bowling well and is delivering with yorkers, why will you go and have a word with him? He knows that the batter needs 10 from 2 and that he needs to stick with yorkers. Then why will you waste his time? Had Mohit been hit for runs, then he could have gone and had a word, but when the bowler is doing his job you want to get done with the over quickly. It also could be that the captain might have come with a concern about whether the bowler would want any changes in the field for the last two balls. But still, if I would have been there, I wouldn't have disturbed him.”