An Indian cricket star has been booed by his own team’s fans in stadiums across the country, including his home ground. Mumbai Indians captain, Hardik Pandya, was confronted by booing crowds at matches in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad where the team suffered a hat-trick of defeats.
Pandya, 30, has replaced India’s captain Rohit Sharma at the helm of Mumbai Indians for this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL). Under Sharma’s tenure captaining Mumbai Indians, Pandya was part of four title-winning campaigns.
The boos appear to be the fans’ way of expressing their feelings to Pandya, who is Mumbai Indians’ fifth captain since the team formed in 2008. Pandya received a hostile reception from fans at last week’s match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
He was later met with a frosty reception by fans at Mumbai Indians’ match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Fans jeered Pandya during the toss at a home game against Rajasthan Royals on Monday (April 1).He is quoted by the publication as saying it is “pretty big” to replace a captain who won five titles to see the same team fail to win a single game under a new captain. On the chances of Sharma re-taking the helm, Manoj said: “It can happen.”