Former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma's loyal fans might unleash their displeasure when Hardik Pandya leads the team out for the toss at their home opener.
Pandya, who replaced five-time IPL champion Rohit Sharma as skipper, was booed by fans in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 24, during Mumbai's game against his former team, the Gujarat Titans.
Manoj Tiwary, a former Kolkata Knight Riders player, predicts a similar atmosphere at Wankhede Stadium.
Tiwary, speaking to PTI videos, predicted a louder reaction in Mumbai. "You have to see how he gets welcomed here in Mumbai because I think he is going to get booed a bit louder here... Because as a fan, a Mumbai fan or a Rohit Sharma fan, nobody expected that captaincy will be given to Hardik," he said.
"And despite Rohit giving five trophies to Mumbai Indians, he has to lose the captaincy. I don’t know what are the reasons but I think it has not gone down well with the fans. And that is the reaction which you see on the field," he added.
"Knowing him, whatever I have been observing of late through television, that despite getting booed, he kept his calm, he kept his nerve, which is the sign of a good temperament," he further added.
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With the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup approaching, Tiwary emphasized the importance of Pandya's performance. "I believe even if he was not booed, he has to perform well to get into the Indian team to play the World Cup. Because it is important for all the players to perform well and be fit as well to be available for selection. And him being the number one all-rounder... obviously, he has to be in form and to be in form he has to perform," Tiwary said.
The Mumbai Indians' next match is against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, March 27, in Hyderabad. Their first home game is against the Rajasthan Royals on April 1.
Hardik Pandya's IPL Journey:
Hardik Pandya's return to Mumbai Indians came after a successful stint with Gujarat Titans, where he served as captain and led the team to an IPL victory. His trade back to Mumbai Indians raised questions among fans but marked a homecoming to the franchise where he initially made his mark as a prominent all-rounder. During his earlier tenure with Mumbai Indians from 2015 to 2021, Pandya played a pivotal role in securing four IPL titles for the team in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
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