IPL 2024 was a forgettable season for Hardik Pandya as the crowd booed him for switching loyalties from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians. Moreover, Pandya replaced Rohit as captain of MI and that led to a lot of criticism among fans. However, he won them back in T20 World Cup 2024.
Hardik Pandya experienced a roller coaster ride in the year 2024. He shocked many by returning to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans in arguably the biggest trade in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Moreover, he replaced Rohit Sharma as the captain and that didn’t go down well with the fans at all. In return, they booed him at the Wankhede Stadium and even at other venues.
It was certainly a tough time for Hardik even as MI not making it to the playoffs and finishing 10th in IPL 2024 led to more scrutiny. But soon after the IPL, in the T20 World Cup 2024, Hardik Pandya redeemed himself, scoring 144 runs at a strike rate of over 150 and picking up 11 wickets.
He also delivered the final over in the thrilling T20 World Cup final against South Africa to help the team get over the line by a whisker. The same Wankhede crowd that booed him, stood up to cheer him during the open bus parade in Mumbai and later at the stadium as the winning squad was felicitated.
Ahead of IPL 2025, Hardik Pandya recalled the tough times of last year but fondly remembered how he won back the fans in the T20 World Cup. “For me, it has always been about never leaving the battlefield. There have been phases in my career where my focus wasn’t necessarily on winning but on surviving and holding my ground.
“I realized that no matter what was happening around me, cricket would always be my greatest ally—it was my way forward. I kept pushing through, and when all the hard work finally paid off, it was beyond anything I could have scripted. The six-month phase where we won the World Cup, and then the kind of love and support I received upon returning—it was a complete 360-degree turnaround for me.
“Throughout that time, I knew that if I remained persistent, honest with my work, and gave my absolute best, I would come out stronger,” Hardik said while speaking on JioHotstar. The all-rounder is back to leading Mumbai Indians this year again and it is unlikely that he will face a hostile treatment from the fans like last year.
