Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan recently shared their opinions about the ongoing heated debate about Hardik Panda’s captaincy stint for MI and his animated behaviour towards Rohit Sharma.
Cricket legends Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan have shared their opinions on the dramatic turn of events surrounding Hardik Pandya’s return to the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the subsequent fan reactions.
Vaughan, speaking alongside Gilchrist on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, expressed surprise at the negative reception Pandya received from Indian crowds. He specifically noted the “remarkable” sight of fans booing one of their own players.
“I have never seen the Indian crowd boo one of their own. It’s remarkable. The booing… I have to say, the Indian crowd just loves cricket. I have never heard them boo. I’ve certainly never heard them boo one of their own. I got the booing when he played in Ahmedabad against the Gujarat Titans. The big debate is whether Rohit Sharma will end up back as captain. That has caused a lot of drama here in India,” added Vaughan, as quoted by the Times of India.
Gilchrist echoed Vaughan’s sentiment, adding that the unprecedented booing directed towards Pandya, particularly at Mumbai’s home stadium, was a clear sign of the strong emotions invested by fans in the team and its leadership.
“It shows you the status that Rohit Sharma has in the game there. The mysterious manner in which it all played out initially, the pace with which it happened—everyone was stunned with Mumbai getting Hardik Pandya away from Gujarat and then Rohit relinquishing captaincy. It is an odd one. But this is the nature of the beast in the IPL,” remarked Gilchrist.
Gilchrist then went on to highlight the unique intensity of the IPL fandom, describing it as a form of “tribalism” unlike anything seen elsewhere in cricket signifying that this intense loyalty to specific teams and players can lead to passionate reactions, both positive and negative.
While the reasons behind Sharma’s exit from the captaincy remain unclear, the situation has undeniably created a stir within the cricketing world. Unfortunately, Hardik’s cards are against his luck as Mumbai continues its string of losses. The MI camp will next face the Delhi Capitals on April 7th.
Last Updated on April 4, 2024
