All-rounder Hardik Pandya‘s captaincy debut for Mumbai Indians (MI) turned sour as he faced a barrage of boos from the local crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Cold shoulder from Gujarat fans
Despite playing for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the previous two IPL seasons, Pandya – a native of Gujarat – received a frosty reception from the Ahmedabad crowd. As he walked out for the toss, a chorus of jeers erupted from the stands, with chants of “Rohit! Rohit!” echoing in support of former MI captain Rohit Sharma. The boos continued even after Pandya won the toss and attempted to speak to the official broadcaster.
Kevin Pietersen expresses shock at fans behaviour
Commentator Kevin Pietersen couldn’t hide his surprise at the hostile reception. “I have never seen any Indian player getting booed like they are booing Hardik Pandya here in Ahmedabad. This is a rare happening,” he remarked on air. Pietersen also questioned Pandya’s decision to bowl the first over himself, suggesting Jasprit Bumrah might have been a better choice.
MI’s close call ends in defeat
The match itself was a thriller. MI were in a strong position during the chase, thanks to contributions from Rohit (43) and young talent Dewald Brevis (46). However, a dramatic collapse in the death overs saw them fall short by six runs, handing victory to the Titans. Earlier, the Shubman Gill-led Gujarat side posted a competitive total of 168/6, with Sai Sudharsan top-scoring with 45 runs. For MI, Bumrah picked up three wickets and conceded just 14 run in his quota of 4 overs.
Also READ: Hardik Pandya faces backlash from fans after Mumbai Indians’ defeat against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024
Uncertain start for Pandya’s captaincy
This unexpected reception from the fans has cast a shadow over the beginning of Pandya’s captaincy stint. It remains to be seen how he handles the pressure and leads MI forward in the upcoming matches.