IPL 2024: Indian cricket hits new low with unreal Hardik Pandya toxicity for no fault of his own

“Our country is not team obsessed, it’s individual obsessed,” 2011 World Cup-winning star Gautam Gambhir has often said about the Indian fans on public platforms, and this obsession has dragged them to a new low now.

Hardik Pandya, the India all-rounder with the experience of 189 international matches, has become the biggest villain of Indian cricket fans. The 30-year-old has been facing an abundance of heat from fans across the nation since he made his sensational move back to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League. Hardik re-joined MI after proving his captaincy credentials at GT for a couple of seasons, and as a result, the MI management decided to place their bets on a new horse to lead them into the future.

Rohit Sharma, who led MI to five titles, was replaced by Hardik as captain overnight to accommodate Hardik as the new man in charge – a move which irked Indian and MI fans to no extent. But was it Hardik’s fault? No… the guy led his previous franchise to one title and a runner-up finish, so it’s common sense. And who in their right frame of mind would turn down a promotion such as leading the IPL’s most successful team of all time? It was simple. MI made Pandya a deal he couldn’t refuse. No one would.

But as it turns out, fans are yet to come to terms with it. They’ve stooped to a new low, using trending derogatory terms on X. Hardik was booed by the Ahmedabad crowd in the mega clash between Mumbai and Gujarat, at the Narendra Modi Stadium, feeling the sting and hostility of 90,000 people at the same venue where two years ago he was cheered.

The toxicity of fans has hit the roof, and added a whole new layer to the ‘Rohit vs Hardik’ saga, which for all you know, isn’t even true. The obsession towards an individual has forced them to spit venom on one of their own. He’s the same guy who joined MI in 2015, and after making the strides, not only made his debut for India but became a household name in Indian cricket.

Some have also compared Hardik’s transfer to Luis Figo’s from Barcelona to Real Madrid in 2000. The Portuguese winger, who was the poster boy of Barca, joined their arch-rivals Real in the summer of 2000 for a then world record fee of €60 million (£54 million). When Figo returned to play his first match at Camp Nou in a Real Madrid jersey he was not welcomed at all. The fans screamed, “Die Figo!” When Figo went to take another corner, a fan threw a pig’s head on the pitch.

But is it fair to compare Figo’s transfer to Hardik’s trade? Figo joined a direct arch-rival and the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid is not new to the sporting world. The two Spanish giants have been battling with each other both on and off the field for several decades.

When it comes to Hardik, he wasn’t retained by Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2022 due to retention restrictions, and Gujarat Titans, who joined the league, cashed in. He was named the skipper, and created absolute magic in his first stint under the tutelage of Ashish Nehra. But not once during his two-year stint, did Hardik ever have bad blood for MI for not retaining him. He even attended their owner’s parties despite being the Titans skipper.

Facts over emotions

MI, who last won an IPL title in 2020, decided to move on, Rohit Sharma – the icon who led them to five IPL titles. But looking at Rohit’s personal form in the last two years, the writing was on the wall. The last time Rohit had a season with over 30 as average was in 2016 when he scored 489 runs in 14 matches. And across 2021, 2022 and ’23, Rohit scored only three half-centuries. The swashbuckling opener deserves all the love and respect for what he did for MI as the captain, but it’s not the worst decision to move on.

The Hardik backlash is unreal… and unfair. He returned to a franchise where his career started. It made him who he is right now. The rivalry between MI and GT is nothing like Barcelona-Real Madrid or Manchester United-Liverpool. Titans are a two-year-old franchise and there have been players in the past who have made the MI-CSK switch, the ‘El Classico’ of the IPL. But no one has faced the kind of rejection Hardik is at a very crucial moment in his career and for Indian cricket.

Right after the IPL, Hardik will be representing the same fans with the Indian team in the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. There’s no denying Hardik’s crucial role in ensuring the Indian side achieves the right balance for major tournaments. India have felt the absence of this fast-bowling all-rounder keenly in numerous ICC events. Presently, Hardik stands as the best available option for India in this regard.

A few years back, the star all-rounder faced a situation when the world went against him for certain misogynistic comments on a chat show. He issued a public apology and served a ban for his behaviour. Despite people turning against him, Hardik thrived under pressure and became an integral part of the team once again in the 2019 ODI World Cup. Hardik very well knows that “When you’re backed against the wall, break the goddamn thing down”, and the more pressure he faces, he is likely to smash it out of the park with that much ferocity.