Hardik Pandya, who previously played for Gujarat Titans, is now back with Mumbai Indians for this IPL season. He’s not just playing, but he’s also leading the team as captain, taking over from Rohit Sharma, who leads India’s cricket team in all formats.
Since Pandya took on the role of captaincy, he’s been facing a lot of criticism on social media. Even during the IPL matches, fans have been expressing their dissatisfaction by booing him. Mumbai Indians haven’t been winning, which adds to the pressure on Pandya.
R Ashwin Backs Hardik Pandya Amid Hate Campaign
Ashwin came to Pandya’s defence, calling the fan wars “ugly”. He believes it’s unfair for fans to be so harsh on a player who represents India on the international stage.
When Ravichandran Ashwin was asked on his YouTube channel whether Mumbai Indians should clarify the decision to make Pandya the captain, he disagreed, to which Ashwin said,
“Neither has any role to play. Neither the franchise nor the player has a role to play in this at all. I think the responsibility and the onus lies on the fans.”
Ashwin pointed out that such intense fan rivalry isn’t observed in other countries. He also questioned the supporters and said, “Have you seen this happen in any other country? Have you seen Joe Root and Zak Crawley fans fight? Or have you seen Joe Root and Jos Buttler fans fight? It’s crazy. Have you seen Steve Smith and Pat Cummins fans fight in Australia?
Also Read: Hardik Pandya’s Second Stint with Mumbai Indians: A Turbulent Ride
Ashwin also Cited the Example of Former Players
He also highlighted the unity among legendary Indian cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, and MS Dhoni, saying the legends all played under each other’s captaincy. He added that all five of them later played under MS Dhoni.
“Sourav Ganguly played under Sachin Tendulkar and vice versa. These two have both played under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy. These three have played under Anil Kumble and all of them have played under Dhoni. When they were under Dhoni, these players were cricket jambhavans (giants). Dhoni too played under Virat.”
Furthermore, Ravichandran Ashwin urges cricket fans to reflect on their behaviour and strive to create a more positive environment within the cricketing world.
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Zartash Zulfiqar is a passionate cricket writer with a love for cricket that shines through in every word. From match analyses to player profiles, she delivers insightful commentary that resonates with fans worldwide. Stay tuned for the latest from the world of cricket, brought to you by Zartash.
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