Hardik Pandya of Mumbai Indians. (PHOTO: PTI)
Hardik Pandya has been relentlessly jeered at stadiums around the country in the ongoing Indian Premier League and mercilessly trolled online since he took over as Mumbai Indians captain ahead of the IPL 2024 season.
While Hardik Pandya’s form has been indifferent for far in IPL 2024, under his captaincy, Mumbai Indians are currently in ninth spot in the league standings, having earned just six points from 10 games. Hardik Pandya’s men would need a miracle to qualify for the IPL playoffs.
This has led to a lot of vitriol to be directed towards Hardik, who was recently named as the vice captain of the Indian cricket team for the T20 World Cup.
The abuse Hardik has faced got former India player Wasim Jaffer angry.
“Criticise his performance as much as you want but it’s extremely disappointing to see the constant personal trolling and attacks. Stay strong Hardik Pandya. Next month you’ll be playing crucial knocks in the World Cup and the same people will be singing your praise,” he tweeted.
Hardik Pandya’s inclusion in the Indian team, that too as a vice captain, has raised some eyebrows. Many former India players had not named Hardik Pandya in their 15-member picks before the Indian team was formally announced by the BCCI.
This included former India player Sanjay Manjrekar, while Irfan Pathan named him in the side “provided he is bowling regularly”.
Pathan recently blamed Mumbai Indians’ dismal performances in the IPL on on-ground captaincy.
“The team Mumbai Indians that qualified last year didn’t have Jasprit Bumrah. But this season they had his services. Still they are in this situation. Purely because the team wasn’t managed well on the ground. Too many mistakes by their captain Hardik Pandya. It’s the truth,” Pathan tweeted.
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