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Hardik Pandya Faces Backlash and Controversy as Mumbai Indians Skipper in IPL 2024

Kalyani Jha
29 Mar, 2024

Hardik Pandya, the newly appointed skipper of Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2024, finds himself embroiled in controversy and facing vehement criticism on social media following the team’s consecutive defeats in the ongoing season.

The heat intensified for Pandya after a viral video surfaced, purportedly showing him pushing former MI pacer Lasith Malinga after the MI vs SRH match. This incident fueled backlash from fans, who criticized Pandya for what they perceived as habitual disrespect towards seniors, especially in the context of replacing Rohit Sharma as the captain.

The video captures a moment where Malinga approaches Pandya for a hug, but Pandya appears focused on shaking hands with Sunrisers Hyderabad players, seemingly ignoring Malinga’s gesture. This interaction added fuel to the existing criticism of Pandya’s attitude and behavior.

The social media backlash against Pandya escalated further due to MI’s decision to hand him the captaincy, replacing Sharma, who led the team to five championship titles. Fans expressed their disappointment over Pandya’s handling of the captaincy, his interactions with senior players, and his on-field decisions during matches.

Additionally, Pandya faced booing from fans during the match against his former franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT), in Ahmedabad. His instructions to Rohit Sharma during the initial matches and Sharma’s fielding position near the boundary lines also drew ire from fans.

The combination of on-field performance, captaincy decisions, and perceived disrespect towards senior players has created a storm of criticism around Pandya, highlighting the intense scrutiny and pressure faced by players in high-profile tournaments like the IPL.