Ishan Kishan lauded his Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya for playing a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 win recently. He also said that fans cheering for him in Wankhede Stadium, where he was booed during the IPL 2024, was the all-rounder’s redemption.
Hardik Pandya had replaced Rohit Sharma as MI captain in IPL 2024 and this wasn’t received well by MI fans, who booed and jeered him not only in Mumbai but everywhere MI played.
“He was at the receiving end wherever he went. At the toss, while boarding the team bus, at the airport. But he didn’t take it personally. Generally, people break down when treated so harshly, but Hardik didn’t. I consider him a great athlete because despite the entire stadium booing him, he went on with the job with a straight face.
Bade players ki nishani yahi hoti hai, wo shakal pe nahi dikhate (Big players don’t show emotions when things are not going their way. They don’t want anyone to feel sorry for them). I am so proud of him for the way he dealt with all the negativity and turned it into claps,” Ishan Kishan said to Indian Express.
He recalls how Hardik took all the trolling coming his way in his stride.
“I remember Hardik bhai saying once during the IPL, ‘jo haath mey nahi hai uske baare mey kya sochna, log bol rahe hai kyu bol rahe, wo sab control nahi kar sakte (Those things which are not in our hands, we can’t control. If I keep on thinking about what people are saying, I will lose it). The same bunch that has criticised me will celebrate me in the future and I just have to take it in a very sporting manner,’” recalls Kishan.
Ishan Kishan says he got emotional seeing Hardik Pandya lifting the World Cup trophy in Wankhede Stadium
Hardik Pandya has been through a roller-coaster of emotions, both on and off the field, in recent months, and few people have seen the all-rounder’s low period as closely as Ishan Kishan.
Kishan gave an insight into Hardik’s frame of mind during the difficult time, describing how he never lost his cool despite the heat from supporters wherever he went with the Mumbai Indians.
“I got very emotional when he stepped out of the dressing room with the trophy and the entire Wankhede Stadium erupted. It was redemption for him.
“It is difficult to explain in words the past six months he has had, as there were all kinds of things said and written about him. But he never lost his cool. I was with him during most of that time – be it training with him in Vadodara or during the IPL – and I never heard him cribbing ki yaar, aisa kyun ho raha hai mere saath (Mate, why is it happening with me). He was calm about it, took it in a very sporting manner, and just focused on the game,” Kishan said.
Kishan felt that for the person he was and what he was going through, Hardik didn’t deserve such a tough time from fans.
“I don’t know why he is so misunderstood. Hardik is one of the sweetest guys I know. He is a really chilled-out person, a fun-loving guy. He is very expressive with his feelings,” Kishan added.
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