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BCCI VP Rajeev Shukla has blamed ‘Rohit Sharma’s fanbase’ for booing Hardik Pandya at the Wankhede Stadium in IPL 2024, saying that board reached out to all-rounder for support.
Hardik Pandya (L) and Rohit Sharma for Mumbai Indians.
(Sportzpics Photo)
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice president Rajeev Shukla has revealed that board officials reached out to Hardik Pandya when he was getting booed at the Wankhede Stadium during IPL 2024, while also admitting that Rohit Sharma’s ‘fanbase’ was against the situation at the time.
Pandya was released by the Mumbai Indians in 2022 and joined the Gujarat Titans, leading them to a title and another final in two years. MI traded him back in 2024 in an all-cash deal plus an undisclosed mandatory transfer fee. His return was celebrated, but only until it was revealed that he would replace the long-term, fan-favorite skipper Rohit Sharma at the helm, with the senior India star dropping out of leadership duties entirely.
Pandya would get booed at the toss at almost every home game, and it didn’t relent for the rest of the season.
“When such incidents happen and fans do things like this, although players are smart enough; still, people within the BCCI do reach out to the players to motivate them, tell them not to worry,” Shukla said in a YouTube interview fir the UPT20 league. “In Hardik’s case, Rohit Sharma’s fanbase did not like it. But the matter is done. Neither Rohit provoked them, never, nor did Hardik know this could happen. But he’s mature; he did not let it affect him. He did not get emotionally carried away. Then, they started winning, and when you start performing, fans start applauding by themselves again.”
The controversy only died down a few months later after Rohit and Pandya played a key role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup win.
‘No format will die’: Rajeev Shukla
Shukla was also asked about the future of ODI cricket, but he offered hope to say that the format won’t ‘die’.
“I don’t think any format will die. The England series was all Tests. Earlier, people used to say Test cricket was rubbish. But so many people watched this series, don’t even ask! The stadiums were full to the brim. After this series, it felt like Test cricket would go a long way. That’s the same for ODIs,” he said.
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