Rohit Sharma (L) and Hardik Pandya© X (formerly Twitter)
Former Australian cricket team wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist believes that the reaction of the crowd towards Hardik Pandya during IPL 2024 shows the popularity and support that Rohit Sharma commands among the supporters. Hardik ended Rohit’s ten-year tenure as Mumbai Indians skipper after completing a sensational trade from Gujarat Titans. However, under his leadership, MI have lost all three of their games in IPL 2024 and Hardik was even booed by the crowd during the matches. Gilchrist pointed out that Hardik’s move to MI took place in a ‘mysterious manner’ and the reaction of the fans towards the MI skipper actually shows their ‘tribalism and intensity’.
“It shows you the status that Rohit Sharma has in the game there. The mysterious manner with 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’s an odd one. But this is the nature of the beast in the IPL. The tribalism and intensity within fan bases. It’s hard to replicate anywhere else with that level of intensity,” Gilchrist said on Club Prairie Fire podcast.
Gilchrist also recalled an instance where he was booed by Australian fans at home. He succeeded the renowned wicket-keeper Ian Healy in the Australia Test squad back in 1999 and the reaction from the fans was not great when he made his ODI debut.
“I got hammered on to the field. And all the way off. So I know what (Hardik) feels like, I will just get on to Hardik, and I will get him through…I am the boo whisperer, I know how to get inside their minds and just get them through. I will get on to Hardik, I have sent that message to MS, I will keep you posted on that and I will get him on and we can get inside his mind and help him, dig out of the trouble they are in.”
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