Hardik Pandya’s struggles as captain of the Mumbai Indians have raised concerns about his mental well-being, according to former India star Robin Uthappa. Uthappa believes that the constant criticism and mockery Pandya has faced has taken a toll on his mental health.
“The mocking, trolling, the memes about his fitness. You don’t think it hurts him? It hurts him. It hurts any human being. How many people actually know the reality of it? Hardik is dealing with mental health issues, for sure,” Uthappa said on the Ranveer Show.
Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram also expressed concern about Pandya’s situation. Akram believes that the relentless criticism Pandya has faced in India is a problem that needs to be addressed.
“This is the problem in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. We never forget. We tell our kids that when Pandya’s kid is born, you have to remind him why he became captain 20 years ago. We don’t move on,” Akram said on Sportskeeda.
Akram urged fans to be more supportive of Pandya, who he believes is still capable of leading Mumbai Indians to success.
“I think fans need to be a little calm. At the end of the day, he is your player. He plays for Mumbai Indians, and he is the one who can make you win. They still can qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs. There is no point booing your own player. You can criticize a little bit, but move on,” Akram said.
Regarding the captaincy change in Mumbai Indians, Akram said: “In franchise cricket, such things happen. Look at how CSK took the captaincy decision for the long run, and maybe, even they (MI) had the same idea. This was not a personal decision, but in my view, Rohit Sharma should have continued as captain for one more year. Perhaps, next year, Hardik Pandya could have been the captain.”
