IPL 2024: Outraged MI fans want 'egoistic' Hardik's captaincy stripped, seek Rohit's reinstatement (WATCH)

First Published Apr 2, 2024, 11:35 AM IST | Last Updated Apr 2, 2024, 11:36 AM IST

After Mumbai Indians suffered their third consecutive defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on Monday, fans of the franchise expressed their outrage and intensified their calls for the reinstatement of Rohit Sharma as captain. The 29-year-old Pandya, who took over the captaincy from Rohit before the tournament began, has faced criticism from fans since the franchise's decision regarding leadership was announced even before the season commenced.

Crowd hostility towards Hardik Pandya persisted as fans booed the Mumbai Indians skipper during the toss for their IPL match against Rajasthan Royals on Monday. Amidst the jeers, chants of 'Rohit... Rohit' echoed throughout the Wankhede Stadium.

Also read: IPL 2024: Rajasthan Royals get a commanding 6-wicket victory against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhade stadium

However, wielding the bat, Pandya swiftly won over the crowd, transforming jeers into cheers with a flurry of boundaries. His brisk innings of 34 runs off 21 balls, inclusive of half a dozen boundaries, propelled his team from a precarious 20/4 to a more respectable 76/5 by the 10th over, before his entertaining knock concluded.

Remarkably, the cheers reverberating around the ground were just as resounding as any other moment, particularly when Pandya struck his first four—a stark contrast to the earlier hostile reception.

Despite Pandya's efforts, Mumbai ultimately succumbed to a six-wicket defeat after posting a modest total of 125/9.

Following this defeat, Pandya continued to be on the receiving end of fans' anger as the Wankhede crowd unanimously slammed the cricketer's 'attitude and ego', while they demanded 'Mumbai cha Raja' Rohit Sharma's return to captaincy.

Here's a look at how the Wankhede crowd reacted following Mumbai Indians' loss to Rajasthan Royals:

Following a stellar bowling performance led by Yuzvendra Chahal (3/11) and Trent Boult (3/22), which stifled the Mumbai Indians' batting lineup, restricting them to a mere 125/9, Riyan Parag showcased yet another outstanding innings to propel the Rajasthan Royals to the top of the IPL points table.

The 22-year-old Parag continued his impressive form this season, displaying maturity and aggression in equal measure. His knock epitomized his determination as he unleashed a flurry of spectacular hits, refusing to relent until his team secured victory.

Parag's innings, embellished with five boundaries and three maximums, guided the Royals to a comfortable victory with 27 balls to spare as they reached 127/4 in just 15.3 overs.

Meanwhile, Pandya urged his team to show a bit more “discipline” and “courage” to turn things around after suffering a third successive loss in the IPL 2024.

“We didn’t start the way we wanted to, tough night tonight,” Hardik told the broadcasters after the match.

“Results, sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn’t. I don’t think much surprises me anymore. But as a group we believe we can pull off a lot of better things going forward and we just need to be more disciplined and show more courage," he added.

“I think we were in a decent position to give us a chance to get to 150 or 160 but I think my wicket changed the game and brought them more in the game and I think I could have done better,” he said.

“It’s good to have something for the bowlers as well. The game is quite cruel to the bowlers. But it was unexpected. It’s all about doing the right things,” Hardik added.

For more reliable and latest news