Hardik Pandya‘s return to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for the first time since his trade from Gujarat Titans (GT) to Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 was met with an unexpected chorus of boos from the crowd. As he stepped onto the field as Mumbai’s new skipper, changing Rohit Sharma, the environment was charged with anticipation and blended feelings on Sunday (March 23).
Toss ceremony and crowd response
In the course of the toss ceremony, Pandya confronted a barrage of boos from the Ahmedabad crowd, contrasting sharply with the nice and cozy reception given to Shubman Gill, Gujarat’s captain and Pandya’s successor. Regardless of the unwelcoming response, Pandya remained composed and centered on the duty at hand, continuing with the toss proceedings in knowledgeable method.
Right here’s the video:
🚨 Toss Replace 🚨@mipaltan received the toss and elected to discipline towards @gujarat_titans
Watch the match LIVE on @JioCinema and @StarSportsIndia 💻📱
Observe the match ▶️ https://t.co/oPSjdbb1YT
#TATAIPL | #GTvMI pic.twitter.com/SD45ApFufX
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 24, 2024
Professionalism from Hardik Pandya amidst hostile reception
Mumbai received the toss beneath his management and opted to ship Gujarat to bat first, emphasizing their strategic intent for the match. Reflecting on his reference to Gujarat, Pandya acknowledged the state as his birthplace whereas crediting Mumbai for his cricketing journey.
“We are gonna bowl first. Looks like a decent track, might get better if the dew arrives. Feels good to be back. My birthplace is Gujarat, a lot of success came in Gujarat, very grateful to the crowd and this state. My cricketing birth happened in Mumbai, so really good to be be back. It’s been almost two weeks, we started the camp. Boys are very eager to go out there and perform,” Hardik stated on the toss.
Additionally READ: GT vs MI, IPL 2024: Taking part in XI and Impression substitutes for Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians
Crowd response turns bitter once more for Pandya’s bowling look
Nevertheless, the cheers rapidly become one other spherical of boos from the Ahmedabad crowd when Pandya’s title was introduced for bowling, highlighting the depth of feelings surrounding his return. Hardik shared the brand new ball alongside Luke Wooden however failed to supply a breakthrough to his aspect and even proved to be costly as he gave away 20 runs in first two overs.
Right here’s the video:
That is for the people who find themselves saying hardik was not booed by crowd , hearken to the commentary as effectively pic.twitter.com/7WcGsC0L5M
— 🌊Venky🐯ⱽᵃˢᵗᵘⁿⁿᵃ (@Tarockfreak) March 24, 2024
Staff lineups and squad additions
In the meantime, Gujarat handed caps to a few gamers – senior India pacer Umesh Yadav, Afghanistan‘s Azmatullah Omarzai, and Australian quick bowler Spencer Johnson-earlier than the toss, showcasing their dedication to bolstering their squad for the season. In distinction, Mumbai fielded a formidable lineup with Australia‘s Tim David, South Africa‘s Gerald Coetzee, and England‘s Wooden occupying three of their 4 abroad participant slots, whereas all-rounder Shams Mulani additionally made his debut, signaling their intent for a powerful begin within the IPL 2024 marketing campaign.