Image Source: IPL
[Saba Sports News] Hardik Pandya has faced criticism lately, particularly after assuming the captaincy of Mumbai Indians from the long-standing skipper Rohit Sharma. Trolls and jeers have been directed at the new leader, both in person and on social media platforms.
In their first home game of the Indian Premier League 2024 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Indians lost the toss to Rajasthan Royals, who elected to bat first. Notably, a section of Rohit Sharma fans at the stadium heckled Pandya. The incident prompted match presenter Sanjay Manjrekar to call for respectful behavior from the crowd, a moment captured and widely shared on social media.
During the toss, Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson won and opted to bat first, prompting Mumbai Indians to bowl. Samson mentioned that pacer Sandeep Sharma wouldn’t participate due to fitness concerns. In contrast, Mumbai made one change, bringing in pacer Akash Madhwal from Uttarakhand.
The crowd at Wankhede shares a special bond with Rohit Sharma, who led the franchise to five titles in 11 seasons as captain. Opinions among fans regarding the leadership roles in the Mumbai-based franchise were divided. While some expressed faith in Pandya’s potential as a long-term leader, others favored Rohit’s leadership and criticized the decision to replace him.