Out there under the lights, Mumbai Indians versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru never feels quiet. Even though silverware counts favor MI heavily, sparks fly every time these two meet in the IPL. This past Sunday’s game in the 2026 edition? A different story entirely – RCB tore through Mumbai with sharp intent. From the stands to the commentary box, voices like Ravichandran Ashwin pointed straight at Hardik Pandya’s decisions, especially how he lined up bowlers when facing Rajat Patidar. That choice, more than any single delivery, seemed to tilt everything sideways.
Outspoken ex-India bowler R Ashwin spoke plainly about Hardik’s poor choices in picking bowlers. On his YouTube video, he brought up the match record from a 2024 clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. That night, Patidar smashed Markande with sixes – four times back-to-back in one spell. With that frame still visible, Ashwin pointed at what went wrong.
Out of nowhere, Ashwin pointed at MI’s move to give Markande the ball even though everyone knows how hard Patidar can smash spinners. Then came the 11th over – boom – one six after another, three straight off Markande by the RCB batsman.
“This SRH vs RCB 2024 game was where Rajat Patidar announced that he is a spin hitter. He was hitting Markande into every corner,” Ashwin said in the video.
“There are some common things between these two big overs. The first ball was taken by Virat Kohli, he took a single, and everything else was the same. There he hit four sixes, here he hit three,” Ashwin highlighted.
“Not The Smartest Of Moves, Very Average”
Out came Ashwin, sharp in judgment, calling Hardik’s choice anything but clever – it fed right into Patidar’s game. Two overs from Markande bled 40 runs, pace set at a staggering 20 per over. That moment stung more than expected.
“Rajat Patidar is a monster hitter against spinners. When he came to bat, you gave the ball to Markande straight away? Not the smartest of moves. Very, very average.”
” It is very important to understand what Markande thinks. Patidar hit him and washed him in Hyderabad, and here, he hit him from the very first ball again.”
Still, Mitchell Santner gave away 43 runs, even if he completed his full share of four overs for MI. On top of that, the two spinners together leaked 83 runs across only six overs
“Here, the difference is between 210 and 240. Mayank Markande: two overs, 40 runs. Today, the spinners went for 83 runs total. I think Santner went for 43 as well.”
