"People will start loving him again"- Ishan Kishan backs MI captain Hardik Pandya to turn boos into cheers in IPL 2024
Mumbai Indians (MI) wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan claimed that skipper Hardik Pandya wasn't someone who would get affected by the boos he has been receiving throughout the IPL 2024 so far, especially from MI fans.
The decision from the franchise to hand over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma to Hardik hasn't gone down well with most of the fans. They have expressed their displeasure in the form of boos whenever Hardik walks out to bat, bowl, or fields.
However, speaking to reporters after Mumbai Indians' win over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), here's what Ishan Kishan had to say about Hardik Pandya's perspective on the boos:
"He loves challenges, he has been in this situation before and he is in that situation right now. He is not someone who will come out and talk about it and say let’s stop this or that. I know that in the coming games, he will do it with the bat and people will start loving him (again)."
The glimpses of what Ishan said were seen on Thursday as the crowd cheered Hardik Pandya on for his monstrous sixes. RCB star Virat Kohli was also seen urging the crowd to not boo the MI captain and rather back him.
Ishan Kishan on his fabulous innings
Ishan Kishan himself had a sensational outing against RCB as he scored 69 off just 34 balls and helped Mumbai Indians set up a platform for coasting home. He opened up on how the break from competitive cricket helped him understand his game better and make that change in mindset.
"Agar pehle ka Ishan Kishan hota to first over mein acchi bowling ho rahi hai to bhi vo leave nahi karta (The Ishan of old may not have left the deliveries upfront even if the bowlers were doing well). But I have learned the 20-over game is long enough to take your time, have self-belief and take the game forward," said Ishan.
Mumbai Indians chased down the target of 197 with a staggering 27 deliveries remaining and seven wickets in hand. With momentum on their side, they will next host the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday, April 14.