Luis Figo caused a stir years ago by leaving Barcelona for rival team Real Madrid. When Figo returned to Camp Nou, Barcelona’s fans expressed their displeasure by throwing a pig’s head at him during a corner kick. This incident drew parallels to a hypothetical movie titled ‘Bend It Like Bacon’. Hardik Pandya recently experienced a similar situation when he played at his former home ground, Ahmedabad, wearing Mumbai Indians colors. The crowd booed Pandya and cheered for Rohit Sharma, his predecessor at Mumbai Indians.
Pandya’s move from Gujarat to Mumbai and his subsequent bid for the captaincy stirred controversy among fans. Despite Mark Boucher’s assertion that cricketing reasons justified the leadership change, not everyone agreed. Sharma’s wife, Ritika, criticized Boucher’s explanation on Instagram. Pandya had an opportunity to prove himself during the match but failed to deliver as Mumbai Indians fell short in the chase.
Experts like Irfan Pathan pointed out tactical errors in Pandya’s decisions, including bowling himself ahead of Jasprit Bumrah and promoting Tim David in the batting order. Pathan suggested that Pandya may have been avoiding facing Gujarat’s leg-spinner Rashid Khan. An animated conversation between Sharma and Pandya after the game added intrigue to the situation.
Pandya’s flamboyant lifestyle and past controversies have earned him a reputation for arrogance. Despite accusations of being mercenary and disrespectful, Pandya remains a talented player who has excelled in previous IPL seasons. Criticism of Pandya should be reasonable, avoiding hateful attacks. Professionalism and team changes are common in cricket, with succession planning being a key consideration. Pandya, a skilled all-rounder, played a crucial role in Gujarat’s IPL 2022 victory and was a significant contributor to Mumbai Indians’ success in 2019.
As the IPL season progresses, Pandya faces scrutiny and challenges, finding himself metaphorically alone on the proverbial ‘couch of Koffee With Myself’.
