Hardik Pandya booed at Wankhede: Michael Vaughan says he’s “staggered” by Indian fans booing one of their own

Loud jeers during the toss against the Rajasthan Royals also prompted a bizarre intervention from presenter and commentator, Sanjay Manjreker, who asked the crowd to “behave”.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said that he was “staggered” by the hostile response from the fans against the star India all-rounder.

“The big debate is whether Rohit Sharma will end up back as captain. That has caused a lot of drama here in India. The booing… I have to say, the Indian crowd just loves cricket. I have never heard them boo. I’ve certainly never heard them boo one of their own. I get the booing when he played at (Ahmedabad) against the Gujarat Titans. He’s left them and joined Mumbai. He took them to a title. So I get that in a pantomime kind of way.

🚨 Toss 🚨@rajasthanroyals win the toss and elect to bowl against @mipaltan #TATAIPL | #MIvRR pic.twitter.com/pziDfHNIci

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 1, 2024

“But for him to go to Hyderabad and get booed and then come to Wankhede and get booed by the Mumbai Indians fans while he is playing for them, I’m staggered by it. I have never seen the Indian crowd boo one of their own. It’s remarkable,” Vaughan said on the Club Prarie Fire podcast with former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

The Rohit Sharma influence

In response, Gilchrist referred to India skipper Sharma’s influence as an instigating factor among the fans.

“It shows you the status that Rohit Sharma has in the game there. The mysterious manner with which it all played out initially, the pace with which it happened, everyone was stunned with Mumbai getting Hardik Pandya away from Gujarat and then Rohit relinquishing captaincy. It’s an odd one. But this is the nature of the beast in the IPL. The tribalism and intensity within fan bases. It’s hard to replicate anywhere else with that level of intensity.”

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While Vaughan pointed out that he “can’t recollect even a Premier League player getting booed on his own homeground,” Gilchrist recollected his tragic ODI debut.

The legendary Australia gloveman said how he had once been booed all the way as he walked to the stumps and then again all the way as he trudged off after getting out at the Sydney Cricket Ground while playing on his ODI debut for Australia because he had been a replacement for Ian Healy, which had made Australian fans unhappy.

“I got hammered all the way on to the field. And all the way off. So I know what (Hardik) feels like.”

Speaking about Manjrekar telling Wankhede crowd to behave, Vaughan said: “I see what he was trying to do. But they booed even louder. Just get on with the job and try and interview with the captain. No need to stir it up anymore.”

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MI: IPL’s Bazballers

Having started another season with three successive defeats, Vaughan likened MI’s traits to that of England’s Bazball philosophy.

“Mumbai Indians are doing exactly what the Bazballers do. They allow the opposition into the game. If you have studied the Mumbai Indians, they generally do this. They start slowly. They allow the opposition and the tournament to write them off,” Vaughan remarked.