Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya has been targetted by fans across all three stadiums in which the franchise has played so far in the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Hardik has been relentlessly booed and jeered by anguished fans while 'Rohit, Rohit; chants have echoed inside the stadiums whenever the focus shifted to the Mumbai Indians skipper. No one exactly knows what Hardik is going through mentally right now, not just because of all the disrespect that has come his way but also because of how horrendously Mumbai Indians have performed.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke spoke with Hardik Pandya about the things transpiring around him and revealed that the star all-rounder is 'fine'.
"It doesn't help when your team is not performing. I spoke to Hardik Pandya when I got over here and he seems like he is going fine. He's a really confident sort of a person. He won't allow this to get to him but he does need to get this team winning games of cricket. Mumbai is such a good team and there's always high expectations. The fans want them at the top of the tree, but at the moment they are at the bottom," Clarke said on ESPN's Around the Wicket.
Clarke reveals what needs to happen
Mumbai Indians are enduring an abysmal start to the 2024 IPL. Under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, the franchise has lost all three matches they have played so far, and they have done so in embarrassing fashion. In the first match of the season against the Gujarat Titans, Mumbai lost the match which they looked like winning for the major part.
In their second, Mumbai conceded the most runs by a team in IPL history and the third game saw Hardik Pandya's men being humiliated at Wankhede Stadium.
Clarke reckons in order for Hardik to win over the fans again, he needs to make sure that Mumbai Indians starts to win matches and the all-rounder elevates his performance as well.
"First and foremost, he just needs to concentrate on team winning and him performing individually. But it has been heavy to be honest, to be at the ground and to hear the fans boo their captain and a guy who has had huge influence in this Mumbai team and impact with the success that they have had," said Clarke.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
