"I think he is a pretty strong personality" - Ian Bishop backs Hardik Pandya to flourish for India in T20 World Cup 2024
Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop has thrown his weight behind Hardik Pandya and believes the Indian all-rounder will come good in the T20 World Cup 2024. Hardik had a tough time returning to his former franchise Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024 as he was booed by the crowd almost everywhere he went.
Bishop believes Hardik didn't deserve the kind of criticism he got from the fans, especially those of the Mumbai Indians. However, he feels the all-rounder is pretty strong mentally and will find a way to focus on delivering crucial performances for the Men in Blue.
Here's what Ian Bishop had to say about Hardik Pandya to the host broadcaster of the T20 World Cup:
"I think he is a pretty strong personality. I would like to think that the other members of the team would have rallied around him. What he endured during the IPL, some of it was not of his own making. I just wish fans could have approached it maybe a little differently, but they have the right to voice their views however they see fit."
Hardik had an impactful outing in the T20 World Cup warm-up fixture against Bangladesh. He scored 40 off just 23 balls as the Men in Blue wrapped up a comfortable win by 60 runs.
Hardik Pandya opens up on his tough phase
Hardik Pandya scored just 216 runs on his return to Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024 and picked up 11 wickets at an economy rate of 10.75. His lack of performances coupled with the scrutiny from the crowd might have taken a toll on the all-rounder.
However, speaking to Star Sports after the warm-up game, Hardik opened up on his struggles and shed light on the need for him to stay in the fight and focus on his process. He said:
"Sometimes life puts you in situations where things are tough, but I believe that if you leave the game or the field, the battle that is, you won't get what you want from your sport, or the results you are looking for. I don't take my successes too seriously. Whatever I have done well, I have forgotten about them immediately and moved forward. Same with difficult times. I don't run away from it. I face everything with [my] chin up."
Hardik also claimed that he had been taking inspiration from the time when he was 16 years old and had to make his dream come true without having the kind of facilities he has now.