The IPL 2024 season for Mumbai Indians was filled with disputes, especially when they chose Hardik Pandya to be the team captain instead of Rohit Sharma. This decision upset some fans. As Mumbai Indians struggled in their games, Hardik received a lot of negative feedback and was even jeered by some spectators at the Wankhede Stadium. But, after Hardik helped India win the T20 World Cup 2024, the situation improved. Recently, Indian and Mumbai Indians’ fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah talked about the whole situation and mentioned that while it was difficult, the team stood by Hardik during those tough moments.
“In some places, feelings are a big topic of conversation. We know that supporters can get emotional, and so can the players. Being an Indian player means dealing with criticism from your own fans, but you have to accept it. You can’t really stop people from saying things. If you concentrate on yourself, you can ignore the negativity. It’s not easy, though. You can still hear the shouting.
“However, your close friends and team can help. Our team doesn’t support that kind of behavior. We supported him and talked to him. His family is always there for him. Some things are out of your control. The situation changed for the better when we won the World Cup,” Bumrah explained during an interview with the Indian Express Adda.
“Don’t get too caught up in the praise. Just because people are cheering now, it doesn’t mean it’s the ultimate thing. If we lose a match, the story might change. Since we’re in a very popular sport, every athlete experiences this. In soccer, we see fans jeering at players. Even the best players in the world deal with these challenges. It’s all part of being an athlete. Sometimes things happen that aren’t very pleasant. It’s not always fair, but that’s just how it is. We live a good life and enjoy many benefits in our sport.”
“As a team, we can’t abandon anyone. We support each other and try to help one another. I’ve played a lot of cricket with Hardik, but it could also be a younger player. It’s like we’re all in this together against the world. We don’t need to make things too complicated. We were there for him and tried to help if he needed it,” he added.
