‘I want Hardik Pandya to get booed in Ahmedabad’: Aakash Chopra gives an interesting statement ahead of IPL 2024

Amidst the anticipation surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, the Mumbai Indians’ captaincy change saga continues, with Hardik Pandya poised to succeed Rohit Sharma. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiling the schedule for the first half of the T20 league, fans eagerly await Hardik’s debut as captain of the Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad, following his sensational trade from the Gujarat Titans. Even former India cricketer Aakash Chopra chimed in, humorously suggesting that he’d like to see Hardik being jeered by the Ahmedabad crowd.

The Mumbai Indians’ captaincy change has garnered significant attention, with Ritika Sajdeh, Rohit Sharma’s wife, also offering a robust response to coach Mark Boucher’s explanation of the situation.

While Hardik, the newly appointed MI captain, has refrained from addressing the topic of replacing Rohit Sharma publicly, some believe that fans in Ahmedabad are disheartened to see their skipper leaving the franchise. Chopra anticipates that these fans may voice their discontent on the field.

“I want Hardik Pandya to get booed in Ahmedabad. I’ll tell you why. First IPL season, Mumbai vs Kolkata. We were playing at the Wankhede Stadium. Ajit Agarkar was in our team and we had to take him off the boundary because he was Mumbai’s boy, playing against Mumbai, in Mumbai and getting booed by the Wankhede crowd. So we put him back inside the circle because it was not nice,” Chopra said on Jio Cinema as the IPL 2024 schedule was announced by the BCCI.

“Now Hardik Pandya goes to Mumbai after winning the championship once, leading the team to the final the next time. And not just that but choosing to leave the franchise. If there isn’t any heartburn in the public of Ahmedabad, if they don’t feel hurt, where is the fun? I am expecting. No, I am hoping – don’t tell anyone – that Hardik goes for the toss and people go ‘Boo’. That’s where the league matures,” the former India opener added.

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