File image of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah© Twitter
Hardik Pandya faced challenges during the IPL after being named captain of the Mumbai Indians. Despite his efforts, he was met with boos from fans wherever he went. The lackluster performance of the Mumbai Indians in the 2024 IPL season only added to the pressure. The team finished last among the 10 teams, marking their worst-ever performance in the IPL. Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya’s teammate in both the Indian national team and Mumbai Indians, has now shared his thoughts on the situation.
On the issues of Hardik Pandya being booed and the team’s T20 performance, Bumrah had a straightforward response.
“You have to take it on your chin. That’s where the inner circle comes in. We, as a team, don’t support or encourage booing. We don’t believe it’s necessary. We were there for Hardik, offering support if needed. Some things are beyond your control. If it happened, it happened. The narrative changed when we won the World Cup. This is all part of the journey. It’s us against the world. We’ll provide as much support as we can,” Jasprit Bumrah told Indian Express.
“In a country driven by emotion, fans and players alike are emotional. It does affect you when your own fans aren’t speaking positively about you as an Indian player. But that’s just the way it is. You have to take it in stride because you can’t control people’s opinions.” Bumrah also discussed the fluctuating nature of audience support.
“When I started out, I wanted to be praised and liked by everyone. But over time, I realized you can’t please everyone. If it’s a battle you can’t win, there’s no point in fighting it. With numerous opinions on social media, you have to have thick skin,” he said.
“What works for me is not taking things too seriously. My game and my family are what matter most to me. If people praise me today, great. If they don’t tomorrow, it doesn’t bother me.”
@Cricbun
