'It has not gone down well with fans': Manoj Tiwary feels Hardik Pandya will be booed louder during MI's home games

Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary believes Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya could get booed even louder by the fans when MI play their first home game of the IPL 2024 season at the Wankhede Stadium. Hardik received a hostile reception in Ahmedabad when MI took on Gujarat Titans (GT) in their season opener on Sunday. Hardik was booed at the toss as well as while fielding during the Titans innings.

Hardik returned to MI after spending two seasons with GT via a landmark trade deal. He was named skipper of MI, taking over from Rohit Sharma, who led MI to five IPL title wins. Hardik had led GT to their maiden IPL title in 2022, and last year, under him, Gujarat reached the final where they lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

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As a skipper, Hardik’s captaincy tactics have also been questioned. One instance of his questionable tactics was when he promoted Tim David over himself in the batting order against GT, when Hardik himself has batted at number or four at GT.

“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, Mumbai fan or a Rohit Sharma fan, nobody expected that captaincy would be given to Hardik,” Manoj told news agency PTI.

“And despite Rohit giving five trophies to Mumbai Indians, he has to lose the captaincy. I don’t know what the reasons are, 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.

Manoj went onto state that despite the boos, Hardik has remained calm. “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,” added the 38-year-old.

Tiwary continued, saying that Hardik must forget about all the distraction from the crowd and focus on the game in order to return to the India squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup that starts from 1 June. “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,” opined the former right-handed batter.

Following a six-run defeat to GT, MI next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in an away game at Uppal on Wednesday. MI then take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their first home game of the season on 1 April.