"If it happened, it happened" - Jasprit Bumrah opens up about Hardik Pandya getting booed during IPL 2024

IPL 2024 witnessed one of the harshest treatments of a player by the fans. The transition of Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans captain to Mumbai Indians, replacing Rohit Sharma as captain, didn’t sit well with the audience. As a result, the Indian all-rounder faced the aggressive ire of fans from the stands at various venues during the IPL. Now, another key player in the Mumbai setup, Jasprit Bumrah, has opened up about the situation. The Indian pacer explained that although the conditions outside were tough for Pandya, he had the team's full support throughout.

"We were with him," says Jasprit Bumrah about Hardik Pandya 

In a dramatic turn of events, Hardik Pandya left Gujarat Titans and took on the captaincy of Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2024. The move proved controversial, as Pandya replaced fan-favorite Rohit Sharma. Fans of Sharma and both teams viewed Pandya as a villain, booing him whenever he took the field. Matters escalated to the point where match presenter and former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar had to appeal to the audience to "behave" at the toss. Now, Jasprit Bumrah has shared his perspective on the saga, noting that the team stood by Pandya throughout the ordeal.

"You have to take it on your chin. That’s where the inner circle comes in. We, as a team, don’t encourage that, we don’t promote that. We don’t think that’s warranted. We were with him (Hardik), talking to him, if he needed support. Certain things are beyond your control. If it happened, it happened,” Bumrah said.

The pacer also mentioned that the ire quickly turned into admiration for Pandya. Pandya followed his IPL stint with a spectacular performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The all-rounder took center stage in the final against South Africa, picking up two crucial wickets in the penultimate over. Eventually, India won the historic match, ending a decade-long drought of an ICC trophy. The internet erupted with praise for Pandya's performance, with many seeking forgiveness for his treatment during the IPL. Moreover, the victory parade echoed with chants of "Pandya, Pandya," marking a heroic redemption for the all-rounder.

“The narrative just changed when we won the World Cup. This is part of the journey. It’s us against the world. We will try to give as much support as we can,” Bumrah explained.

Jasprit Bumrah on crowd booing Hardik Pandya during IPL said:

"we were with Hardik, talking to him, if he needed any support. Certain things are out of our control". (Indian Express). pic.twitter.com/acJBhk1KaM

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 17, 2024