Boult bullies, Chahal bamboozles, Mumbai Indians hobbles to 125

The Rajasthan Royals’ strike bowlers pick up three wickets apiece; Hardik, who was booed multiple times on his return to his alma mater, and Tilak help the team make a partial recovery with a 56run partnership for the fifth wicket

The hype around whether Hardik Pandya will experience a happy homecoming or not lived up to its fullest. The Mumbai Indians captain — jeered repeatedly until he started to let his bat speak — did manage to turn stones into gold for a while. But such was the onslaught of the Rajasthan Royals pace attack that the hosts could not withstand it.

Top-order rattled

The leftarm pace duo of Trent Boult and Nandre Burger rattled the Mumbai Indians’ toporder. The spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and R. Ashwin then ensured that the latter half was also dominated by the visitors. Despite Hardik and Tilak Varma’s resurrecting partnership of 56 runs for the fifth wicket, Mumbai Indians could only manage 125 for nine.

Boult struck in the opening over, accounting for Rohit (who poked at one that swung away to be caught by a lunging Sanju Samson) and Naman Dhir (legbefore off one that came into him) off the last two balls.

At one for two, Dewald

Brevis became the earliest Impact Player introduced in IPL. But Boult — whose hattrick was saved by Ishan Kishan — continued the trend of dismissing batters off their first ball as Brevis was caught at gully by Burger.

When Burger accounted for Ishan — clueless to one that straightened slightly to nick it to Samson — MI was tottering at 20 for four in the fifth over. In came Hardik and was booed for the fourth time while taking guard.

Jeers turn into cheers

But as Hardik started timing the ball to precision, the jeers turned into cheers. A charge down the wicket for a onebounced four over midon was the highlight of his three fours in a Burger over.

However, Chahal started asking questions of Hardik the moment he was introduced in the eighth over. A ball after he missed the stumps by a whisker, Chahal enticed Hardik into an error that resulted in him mistiming a heave to longon.

Chahal went on to bamboozle the lowerorder to finish with enviable figures. But despite Boult’s barrage at the top and Chahal’s chivalry with legspin, the night will be remembered for how Hardik was treated on his return to his IPL alma mater.