Hardik Pandya, the newly appointed captain of Mumbai Indians, has been under constant scrutiny, especially amidst the team’s lackluster performance in the IPL 2024 season With three consecutive losses, Mumbai Indians find themselves at the bottom of the points table, prompting criticism directed at Pandya. The situation reached a point where even at the Wankhede Stadium, the home crowd expressed their discontent with booing.
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has weighed in on the matter, emphasizing the need for support from Rohit Sharma, Mumbai Indians‘ stalwart. Clarke believes that Sharma should publicly back Pandya amidst the criticism. He acknowledges the challenges in sports but deems it unfair for the home crowd to boo their own captain. Clarke reminds that Pandya didn’t appoint himself as captain; the responsibility was entrusted to him by Mumbai Indians‘ management.
Clarke also emphasizes the importance of Sharma’s performance, suggesting that he, too, needs to contribute with runs for the team’s success.
Despite expressing confidence in both Sharma and Pandya, Clarke stresses the significance of registering wins for Mumbai Indians.
He hopes for the fans’ support towards Pandya, highlighting the role of positive reinforcement.
Reflecting on his own experiences, Clarke recalls facing similar challenges during his captaincy tenure with Australia.
He recounts an instance at Gabba where he was booed by fans but earned their applause after delivering a notable performance.
