It's never a good sign when the home crowd boos their own captain. This was the case during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season when fans at Wankhede Stadium jeered Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya for replacing their favorite, Rohit Sharma.
However, between last season and IPL 2025, Pandya proved to be a game-changer for Team India, playing a key role in securing two major trophies¡ªthe T20 World Cup 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This led to a shift in fan sentiment, as they cheered for him during the toss in MI's first game at Wankhede.
Fans on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), were delighted to see Pandya finally receiving the appreciation he deserves. One user wrote, "LOUD CHEER FOR HARDIK PANDYA BY WANKHEDE CROWD. GOOD TO SEE."
Another added, "A comeback story for the ages in cricket."
MI began their IPL 2025 campaign with two consecutive losses. Returning to Wankhede could provide an opportunity to regain momentum, with the home crowd offering much-needed support.
As they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 31, MI will look to capitalize on a batting-friendly pitch, while their new-ball bowlers aim to exploit early swing and seam movement. Mumbai Indians have won the toss and opted to field.
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy
Impact Subs: Anrich Nortje, Anukul Roy, Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Luvnith Sisodia?
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Ryan Rickelton, Will Jacks(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, Vignesh Puthur?
Impact Subs: Rohit Sharma, Corbin Bosch, Raj Bawa, Robin Minz, Satyanarayana Raju
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