IPL 2024: Mumbai Indians Captain Calls for Booing Hardik Pandya in Ahmedabad Clash Against Former Team GT

The IPL 2024 opener highlighting Royal Challengers Bangalore and guarding champions Chennai Super Kings promises to be an action-packed challenge to induce the 17th version of the Indian Premier League going, but the genuine fight lines will be drawn on Sunday evening as Hardik Pandya, captaining the Mumbai Indians for the primary time, squares off against the group he knows inside out—the Gujarat Titans. A long time ago, Hardik cleared out MI to begin a modern chapter with the newly introduced GT and, maybe well, drove the group to a title win in 2022 and a runner-up wrap-up final year. But when he not only returned to Michigan in 2023 but was also selected as their captain for the upcoming season, the expectations that he would be the face of the GT brand were drastically dashed. GT made a call of their own, promoting Shubman Gill to captaincy, in response to MI fans’ outspoken criticism of the club’s management’s choice to name Hardik as captain instead of Rohit Sharma. Thus, be prepared for intense feelings when GT and MI launch their ads.

Aakash Chopra, a former batter for India, has gone one step further, though, and wants the Ahmedabad audience to jeer Hardik when he leaves for the toss. In expressing his desire, Chopra said he had seen something similar happen as a player back in 2008 and that he wouldn’t be shocked if Hardik received the same treatment. “I want Ahmedabad to boo Hardik Pandya. I will explain why. Mumbai vs. Kolkata in the inaugural IPL season. The Wankhede Stadium was the venue for our game. We had to remove our teammate Ajit Agarkar from the boundary since he was a Mumbai lad playing in Mumbai against Mumbai and was being jeered by the Wankhede crowd. Therefore, we brought him back into the circle since it was not pleasant,” Chopra stated on Jio Cinema on Thursday at the unveiling of the IPL 2024 schedule.

‘I wish… No, I hope Hardik gets booed.

It is thought that captaincy was a condition of the agreement struck when Hardik decided to return to Michigan. MI had gone without a victory for three straight seasons. In 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020, MI won at least one IPL title, continuing a habit they had started in 2013. The fact that Rohit Sharma, who is currently 36, is in charge of leading the Indian squad in all three forms further convinced the management that the time was ripe for MI to migrate.

Also Read: IPL 2024 Schedule Announcement: Live Updates on CSK’s Opening Match Opponent!

Nothing, in Chopra’s opinion, makes a league more emotionally charged and captivating than the dynamic between a player and the supporters, and what better way to up the ante than having a champion player defend the opposition on his old home field? That, in Chopra’s opinion, is optimal for business.

“After taking the team to the final the previous time, Hardik Pandya now travels to Mumbai to capture the trophy once more. Not just that, but deciding to stop supporting the franchise. Where’s the pleasure in Ahmedabad if the people there don’t feel hurt or have heartburn? I’m going to be pregnant. No, I’m praying, secretly, of course, that Hardik goes for the throw and everyone boos him. The league reaches maturity there, according to the former India opener.