• Hardik Pandya met with an unexpected chorus of boos from the crowd between GT and CSK in IPL 2024.

  • Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to bowl first in Ahmedabad.

IPL 2024 [WATCH]: Hardik Pandya gets booed by crowd at Narendra Modi Stadium during GT vs MI clash
Hardik Pandya (Image Source: Twitter)

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Hardik Pandya‘s return to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for the first time since his trade from Gujarat Titans (GT) to Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 was met with an unexpected chorus of boos from the crowd. As he stepped onto the field as Mumbai’s new skipper, replacing Rohit Sharma, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation and mixed emotions on Sunday (March 23).

Toss ceremony and crowd reaction

During the toss ceremony, Pandya faced a barrage of boos from the Ahmedabad crowd, contrasting sharply with the warm reception given to Shubman Gill, Gujarat’s captain and Pandya’s successor. Despite the unwelcoming response, Pandya remained composed and focused on the task at hand, proceeding with the toss proceedings in a professional manner.

Here’s the video:

Professionalism from Hardik Pandya amidst hostile reception

Mumbai won the toss under his leadership and opted to send Gujarat to bat first, emphasizing their strategic intent for the match. Reflecting on his connection with Gujarat, Pandya acknowledged the state as his birthplace while crediting Mumbai for his cricketing journey.

“We are gonna bowl first. Looks like a decent track, might get better if the dew arrives. Feels good to be back. My birthplace is Gujarat, a lot of success came in Gujarat, very grateful to the crowd and this state. My cricketing birth happened in Mumbai, so really good to be be back. It’s been almost two weeks, we started the camp. Boys are very eager to go out there and perform,” Hardik said at the toss.

Also READ: GT vs MI, IPL 2024: Playing XI and Impact substitutes for Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians

Crowd reaction turns sour again for Pandya’s bowling appearance

However, the cheers quickly turned into another round of boos from the Ahmedabad crowd when Pandya’s name was announced for bowling, highlighting the intensity of emotions surrounding his return. Hardik shared the new ball alongside Luke Wood but failed to provide a breakthrough to his side and even proved to be expensive as he gave away 20 runs in first two overs.

Here’s the video:

Team lineups and squad additions

Meanwhile, Gujarat handed caps to three players – senior India pacer Umesh Yadav, Afghanistan‘s Azmatullah  Omarzai, and Australian fast bowler Spencer Johnson-before the toss, showcasing their commitment to bolstering their squad for the season. In contrast, Mumbai fielded a formidable lineup with Australia‘s Tim David, South Africa‘s Gerald Coetzee, and England‘s Wood occupying three of their four overseas player slots, while all-rounder Shams Mulani also made his debut, signaling their intent for a strong start in the IPL 2024 campaign.

Also READ: IPL 2024: Former Mumbai Indians star player selects four overseas picks for RCB ahead of PBKS match

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