Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya faced significant difficulties both as a player and as a captain during the IPL 2024. Despite this challenging season, former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina remains confident in Pandya’s ability to bounce back in national colors for the T20 World Cup 2024. Raina believes Pandya can redeem himself when India goes head-to-head with arch-rivals Pakistan.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) faced a storm of controversy when they decided to make Pandya their new captain, replacing Rohit Sharma. This move didn’t sit well with many fans, leading to widespread discontent.
Pandya felt the heat of this backlash firsthand as he encountered boos from MI supporters at the Wankhede Stadium, which affected his performance on the field.
The 30-year-old was traded from the Gujarat Titans to the Mumbai Indians in an all-cash deal and was handed the captaincy. However, under his leadership, MI had a tough season, finishing in 10th place with only four wins out of 14 matches.
Throughout the season, Pandya faced intense scrutiny from fans for his playing style and strategic decisions, ultimately leading to MI’s early exit from the tournament.
During his time with MI, Pandya managed to score just 216 runs and take 11 wickets in 14 matches, contributing to the team’s disappointing performance.
Despite his struggles, Pandya earned a spot in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup and is expected to play a key role as an all-rounder. Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has expressed confidence in Pandya’s abilities and believes he will shine for India in the upcoming tournament.
Suresh Raina was quoted as saying by ANI: “Hardik Pandya has done really well for India. Temporary poor form does not make someone bad. When he will perform well against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, everyone will praise him.”
“The team is balanced. Rohit Sharma is the captain. Virat Kohli is in fine form and Suryakumar Yadav is in good touch. Two left-arm pacers are going, who can bowl in powerplay. Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are going. However, matches there are at 10:00 AM in the morning. The wickets are also drop-in. The team should get used to these wickets and conditions as soon as possible.”
The Indian team is set to start their T20 World Cup 2024 journey with a match against Ireland. This encounter will take place at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Wednesday, June 5. India and Ireland are both members of Group A, which also includes Pakistan, the USA, and Canada. Following their game against Ireland, India will face their traditional rivals, Pakistan, in the 19th game of the tournament on Sunday, June 9.
