'The problem in India...': Wasim Akram on criticism levelled against MI captain Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya has been seemingly left alone in the MI camp
Former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram has come out in support of Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya as criticism mounts against the all-rounder. Ever since Pandya switched allegiances and returned to MI from Gujarat Titans, he has been subjected to intense scrutiny from fans and pundits alike.
A section of fans siding with Rohit Sharma have booed, jeered and hurled derogatory remarks against Pandya. Reflecting on the development, Akram said the fans needed to "calm down" as they were not doing any favours to the franchise by booing the captain - one of the most important memberof a cricket team
"This is the problem in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. We never forget. We tell our kids that when Pandya's kid is born, you have to remind him why he became captain 20 years ago. We don't move on," Wasim Akram toldSportskeeda.
"I think fans need to be a little calm. At the end of the day, he is your player. He plays for Mumbai Indians, and he is the one who can make you win. They still can qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs. There is no point booing your own player. You can criticize a little bit, but move on," Akram concluded.
Pietersen supports Pandya
Akram is not the first overseas former player to come out in Pandya's support. Earlier this month, ex-England batter Kevin Pietersenurged the Indian fans to stop the booing, especially with the T20 World Cup on the horizon.
"It's not just affects you, it affects your family. And that's the fear for what's happening for me with Hardik at the moment is that this is going to hurt him for a very, very long time," Pietersen told Star Sports.
"When he finishes his Indian career, when he finishes playing cricket, it's still going to hurt him and that's why something drastic has to be done," he added.
Pandya, the captain, has looked a pale shadow of his former self. As the GT captain, the all-rounder led the franchise to consecutive finals while winning the coveted trophy in the first attempt. However, with MI, it appears that the five-time champions may not qualify for the playoffs. On an individual level, Pandya has not made any impact with bat and ball, which suggests that the constant jeering may have got to him.
(With inputs from agencies)