"Want Hardik Pandya to get booed" - Aakash Chopra's interesting wish from the Ahmedabad crowd

MI will be playing under a new captain as all-rounder Hardik Pandya will be leading the side in place of Rohit Sharma in IPL 2024. The biggest carnival of Indian cricket has returned as BCCI has announced the schedule of the Indian Premier League 2024. Teams such as Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, who are the joint most successful team in the tournament will be once again the key favourites to lift the trophy.

Hardik Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans for a whopping INR 15 crore deal ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. MI had to release Cameron Green to execute the deal whereas GT didn’t ask for any player in return for Pandya. Hardik had a dream run with the Titans as the captain of the franchise and as the captain he was able to win the IPL 2o22 and reach the finals in 2023.

Now Hardik Pandya goes to Mumbai after winning the championship – Aakash Chopra makes an interesting wish to the Ahmedabad crowd

Coming to Mumbai Indians was also a homecoming for Hardik Pandya. The Indian all-rounder gained popularity due to his performance for MI and was part of the franchise from 2015 to 2021. Pandya performed brilliantly in both IPL and Indian teams due to which he has received a homecoming and will be leading the side.

Mumbai Indians will be playing their opening match of the IPL 2024 against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra wants the Ahmedabad fans to boo Hardik when he leaves for the toss. In expressing his desire, Chopra said he had seen something similar happen as a player back in 2008 and that he wouldn’t be shocked if Hardik received the same treatment.

Speaking to Jio Cinema he said, “I want Hardik Pandya to get booed in Ahmedabad. I’ll tell you why. First IPL season, Mumbai vs Kolkata. We were playing at the Wankhede Stadium. Ajit Agarkar was in our team and we had to take him off the boundary because he was Mumbai’s boy, playing against Mumbai, in Mumbai and getting booed by the Wankhede crowd. So we put him back inside the circle because it was not nice.”

Furthermore, Aakash Chopra believes that Hardik Pandya had a successful campaign with the Gujarat Titans in the first two seasons. However, Chopra added that if the Ahmedabad crowd is not hurt due to Hardik leaving GT, where is the fun? He added that if the GT fans express their disappointment with Hardik, this will be a time when the league is maturing.

Aakash Chopra said, “Now Hardik Pandya goes to Mumbai after winning the championship once, leading the team to the final the next time. And not just that but choosing to leave the franchise. If there isn’t any heartburn in the public of Ahmedabad, if they don’t feel hurt, where is the fun? I am expecting. No, I am hoping – don’t tell anyone – that Hardik goes for the toss and people go ‘Boo’. That’s where the league matures.”

The BCCI has released the schedule for the first 17 days of the Indian Premier League 2024 due to the general elections in India. The further dates will be released when the Election Commission of India releases the dates of the general elections.