I dare anybody to boo Hardik Pandya now: Ambati Rayudu

The highest of highs, the lowest of lows - star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has seen everything in the last six months. After being named the Mumbai Indians skipper ahead of IPL 2024, the fans booed Pandya, and racial slurs were used against the cricketer on social media and in the stadiums. The difficult times continued as Mumbai failed to make a mark in the IPL, finishing at the bottom of the table. 

However, Hardik was a force to reckon with in the national team. He played a key role in India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup and after the successful campaign, the 30-year-old was spotted in tears describing the difficult times he faced in the last six months. Reflecting upon that, former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu stated that he is happy with Pandya getting back to form as he has great mental strength. 

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Rayudu added that the Baroda-born cricketer is an amazing human being, which helped him find his feet through the storm. He talked about Pandya’s journey and how he overcame all the difficulties to be called a world champion.

“I think it is great on his part. Such great mental strength and now I dare anybody to boo him in India. You know, if you can. If you can try and do that, you will know you will know it and he is an amazing individual and I have played with him, you know, in my state team,” Ambati Rayudu said on Star Sports as quoted by India Today.

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“And he's an amazing guy, an amazing human being, and that's why that's why he could come through this storm, get through this storm that he had just a few months back and to come back that strongly is unbelievable and you know he's a world champion now,” he added. 

South Africa needed 16 runs to win in the final over when Rohit Sharma handed the ball to Pandya. He picked up the wicket of David Miller on the first ball, which changed the game and helped India secure the win.