Rohit Sharma (L) and Hardik Pandya© X (formerly Twitter)
Former wicketkeeper-batsman of the Australian cricket team Adam Gilchrist believes that the crowd’s response to Hardik Pandya at IPL 2024 shows the popularity and support that Rohit Sharma enjoys among the supporters. Hardik ended Rohit’s ten-year tenure as Mumbai Indians captain after completing a sensational transaction from Gujarat Titans. However, under his leadership, MI has lost all three matches in IPL 2024 and Hardik was even booed by the crowd during the matches. Gilchrist pointed out that Hardik’s move to MI happened in a ‘mysterious manner’ and the fans’ reaction to the MI skipper actually shows their ‘tribalism and intensity’.
“It shows you the status Rohit Sharma has in the game there. The mysterious way it all played out initially, the pace at which it happened, everyone was stunned when Mumbai poached Hardik Pandya from Gujarat and Rohit subsequently gave up the captaincy. It is strange. But this is the nature of the beast in the IPL. The tribalism and intensity within the fan bases. It’s hard to replicate that level of intensity anywhere else,” Gilchrist said on the Club Prairie Fire podcast.
Gilchrist also recalled an instance where he was booed by Australian fans at home. He succeeded famous wicketkeeper Ian Healy in the Australia Test squad in 1999 and the reaction from the fans was not great when he made his ODI debut.
“I got hammered onto the field. And completely gone. So I know how (Hardik) feels, I’m just going to go to Hardik, and I’ll help him through… I’m the boo whisperer, I know how you get in their head and just get them through. I’m going to continue with Hardik, I sent that message to MS, I’ll keep you posted on that and I’ll get him on the phone and we can get into his head and help him , dig out the trouble they are in.”
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