"Hardik Pandya should block Rohit Sharma's.."- Steve Smith's sensational solution for Mumbai Indians

Steve Smith offered valuable advice to Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya amidst criticism from fans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Steve Smith advised Hardik Pandya to ignore the distractions from the crowd and maintain focus solely on his game.

Hardik Pandya assumed the captaincy of the Mumbai team, replacing Rohit Sharma. The all-rounder faced booing from spectators during MI matches. It’s worth noting that he led the Gujarat Titans to victory in their debut season and a runner-up finish in 2023.

The 30-year-old’s return to the Mumbai Indians has been disappointing, with the team yet to secure a win in their first two games. Their campaign began with a narrow six-run defeat against the Gujarat Titans, followed by a 31-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Also read: Watch- Michael Huseey’s pre-match prediction for MS Dhoni goes true, takes the internet by storm

No One Outside Knows – Steve Smith

Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Steve Smith offered advice to Hardik Pandya on handling crowd abuse, drawing from his own experiences. Smith acknowledged that such challenges might be new to Pandya, especially given his status as a star Indian player in India.

“I’d try and just say, to block it out, it’s all irrelevant. No one outside knows what you are going through. No one [from outside] is in that change room. Personally, for me, it doesn’t bother me. I don’t care. I don’t pay any attention. You know it’s all white noise, but certainly players do hear things and everyone’s entitled to their own emotions and how they respond to those,” Smith said.

“So is it affecting him? Maybe. It’s possible. He probably hasn’t experienced that before in, in any walk of life. So it’s natural, I suppose, and particularly being in India and a star Indian player, to be in that position where some fans are booing you, it’s certainly something he wouldn’t have experienced,” he added.

The Baroda-born cricketer has struggled with his batting in both matches. He managed to score 11 runs off four deliveries against the Titans, failing to secure a victory for his team. He was dismissed after making 24 runs off 20 balls against the SunRisers Hyderabad.

Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, contributed 43 runs off 29 balls, comprising seven fours and a six, in their tournament opener. In the second game, the 36-year-old opener played a cameo innings, scoring 26 runs off 12 balls with one four and three sixes.

It’s A Big One For Hardik Pandya – Steve Smith