The Mumbai Indians are to blame for the confusion around Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and the players’ captaincy, according to former India all-rounder Balvinder Singh Sandhu.
The Mumbai Indians look crushed… and there’s no two ways about it. (PTI)
The public’s disapproval of the Mumbai Indians, and particularly of their skipper, Hardik Pandya, is increasing with each passing game. This is hardly the type of start the newly chosen captain or the team should have hoped for, since they have lost three of their last three games. The crowd’s jeers and boos isn’t helping the squad either, since they are stuck at the bottom of the points table without having opened their account.
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hardik is at the center of the controversy, and Balvinder Singh Sandhu believes that he is not to blame for becoming entangled in this web. After a two-year hiatus, the former India World Cup winning all-rounder has actually accused MI’s management collectively of getting carried away with the Hardik wave. The club ought to have given its choice to bench Rohit Sharma, who has five IPL title victories under his belt, and start Hardik straight away some serious thought, according to Sandhu. In addition, he questioned the management’s ability to persuade the owners of the opposite.
“It is reasonable to assume that the owners would have carefully considered this important choice, like switching the captain, and consulted with the Mumbai Indians’ paid think tank. But rather than having the guts to give the owners honest and frank evaluations, it seems that the professionals in question may have just gone along to please them “Sandhu said in his Mid-Day column.
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“As professionals, we must provide frank assessments of circumstances, particularly in light of the departure of a captain with Rohit’s caliber of accomplishment. It’s critical to acknowledge the priceless contributions made by athletes like as him, who not only perform well on the field but also act as team ambassadors, enhancing the club’s reputation and cultivating a devoted following of supporters who devote their time and finances to the team.”
Even though Hardik has been captain for over four months, the team hasn’t seen any significant changes. He received unrelenting jeers in Ahmedabad, rather louder jeers in Hyderabad, and absolutely no pity in the Wankhede. Sanjay Manjrekar had to step in, but it was in vain because the spectators’ dissatisfaction could be heard so clearly. It’s obvious that Hardik can’t win over the crowd, and losing just makes the quest more difficult.
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Sandhu continued, saying that if everyone in the management had considered changing leadership in a sensible manner, the entire scandal may have been averted. He does not hold Hardik or Rohit responsible for the commotion since there is no way those engaged in the decision-making could have been unaware of the knock-on effects the change in captaincy would have generated.
“Hardik is not the only target of the crowd’s retaliation; those who appointed him captain are also indirectly implicated. The team’s top management was definitely aware of the implications of their choice, highlighting the negative effects of surrounding oneself with people who put appeasing superiors ahead of offering thorough and impartial views, no matter what the costs,” he stated.
“I feel bad for Hardik and Rohit since they are not to blame for the needless split brought about by the audience’s unfavorable responses. The satisfaction of true cricket lovers is diminished by such conduct, as they attend matches expecting to see thrilling bat-and-ball competitions.”
Things became worse for MI because of an unfortunate agreement and needless division: Sandhu
Finally, Sandhu mentioned the alleged “captaincy deal” in Pandya’s contract, making another pointed accusation about the Hardik vs. Rohit captaincy drama. It seems that after leading the Gujarat Titans to consecutive IPL finals, including a championship one, a deal existed that said Hardik could only go back to MI if he was guaranteed the leadership. Sandhu feels that it has caused a rift for which the players are paying, even if nothing is formal as of yet. Hardik and MI declined to comment when the topic was posed during MI’s pre-season press conference.
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“It is a sad deal if Hardik’s promotion to captaincy was contingent on circumstances unrelated to his skill as a cricket player, like his trade from the Gujarat Titans to the Mumbai Indians. Being the target of trolling from supporters of two different countries casts doubt on the decision-making process and emphasizes the negative effects of giving consideration to things other than cricket merit, as noted by Sandhu, an Indian player who won the World Cup in 1983.
“I frequently use Hardik’s mindset as an example for the guys I coach because I think it’s quite admirable. His tenacity and willpower are examples of traits that go beyond skill, showing that hard work and dedication can lead to success in cricket.”
