SRH vs MI: Tables turn as Rohit Sharma tells captain Hardik Pandya to field in deep

The tables turned and how quickly! Days after a video of Hardik Pandya commanding his former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma to field in the deep in their IPL 2024 opener against Gujarat Titans, the new skipper listened to fielding instructions from the latter as pressure mounted on the 5-time champions in Hyderabad on Wednesday, March 27. Rohit had to step in and help Hardik with fielding changes as SunRisers Hyderabad went on a six-hitting spree, smashing 277, the highest-ever total in the history of the Indian Premier League.

Hardik Pandya copped a lot of criticism from a section of fans on social media after the video of him, instructing Rohit Sharma to 'go back' and field along the boundary line on Saturday, went viral. Hardik was slammed for his what apparently looked like a 'not-so-humble' gesture toward his former captain.

On Wednesday, Rohit Sharma, between overs, lent a shoulder to lean for Hardik Pandya and, in turn, had to ask his new captain, one of the best fielders in the side, to field in the deep.

None of those fielding changes, spearheaded by Rohit and Hardik, worked as SunRisers sent them flying into the stands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. A total of 18 sixes 19 boundaries were hit as SunRisers broke Royal Challengers Bengaluru's 11-year-old record for the highest-ever IPL total - 263.

Travis Head, the hero of the World Cup final, once again tormented a team in blue as he hit an 18-ball fifty and eventually finished with 24-ball 62. Young Abhishek Sharma went one step further as he broke the record for the fastest fifty for the 2016 champions in IPL, getting there in just 16 balls. 

SunRisers posted 148 runs in the first 10 overs, the highest-ever tally in the said quota of overs in IPL. The carnage did not stop there as Heinrich Klaasen, arguably the best batter in T20 cricket at the moment, hit 80 not out off 34 balls, smashing 7 sixes in the process. 

It was a tough night for Hardik Pandya, the captain, as his decision to hold back their best bowler Jasprit Bumrah backfired. Bumrah came into bowl his first over only in the 4th over, by when SunRisers had posted 40 on the board. 

Bumrah returned to bowl another over only after the 12th over was completed. SunRisers had by then scored 173 runs, leaving fans and experts puzzled.