Former Pakistani captain Wasim Akram has come out in support of Mumbai Indians’ skipper Hardik Pandya amid criticism over the team’s poor performance in IPL 2024. Mumbai Indians have only managed to win three matches in the ongoing IPL season, significantly diminishing their chances of qualifying for the playoffs. Since replacing Rohit Sharma as the skipper, Pandya has faced severe criticism and trolls, encountering a hostile environment in stadiums.
Akram highlighted the tendency in the sub-continent to hold onto past grievances, making it challenging for fans to support Pandya.
“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,” Akram expressed while speaking to Sportskeeda.
He suggested that Sharma should have continued as MI’s captain for at least one more season, allowing Pandya to take over later.
“In franchise cricket, such things happen. Look at how CSK took the captaincy decision for the long run, and maybe, even they (MI) had the same idea. This was not a personal decision, but in my view, Rohit Sharma should have continued as captain for one more year. Perhaps, next year, Hardik Pandya could have been the captain,” Akram remarked, referencing Chennai Super Kings’ long-term captaincy decision as an example for franchise stability.
Robin Uthappa, a former Indian player, disclosed that Pandya is dealing with mental health issues due to constant booing and criticism. Uthappa emphasized the harmful impact of mocking, trolling, and memes on Pandya’s mental well-being, urging people to show empathy and refrain from adding to his struggles.
“The mocking, trolling, the memes about his [Pandya] fitness. You don’t think it hurts him? It hurts him. It hurts any human being. How many people actually know the reality of it? Hardik is dealing with mental health issues, for sure,” Uthappa stated. “We, as people, I understand, as Indians, we are emotional. But it is not right to impose this kind of treatment on any human being. It is unbecoming as a society for us to do that to someone and be okay with it. We should not be laughing along with it. We should not be forwarding these memes.”
The criticism faced by Pandya sheds light on the broader issue of mental well-being in professional sports, underscoring the importance of mental health support and awareness. Akram and Uthappa’s comments contribute to the ongoing discussion about the treatment of athletes and the responsibility of fans and society towards their well-being.
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