'When he wears that blue jersey, he will be a different Hardik Pandya...' - Harbhajan Singh expresses compassion for Indian all-rounder ahead of T20 World Cup 2024

On one hand, the general sentiment was that of joy and celebration when reports had surfaced about Hardik Pandya, the then-captain of the Gujarat Titans, returning to the Mumbai Indians. Pandya had led the fledgling franchise to the finals in both seasons since their inception (2022 and 2023), even clinching the title in their inaugural edition. As an ex-MI player who had spent seven years with the team, his return was expected to be eagerly anticipated. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when Mumbai-born Rohit Sharma was unceremoniously removed from the captaincy, exasperating the bulk of MI supporters. This anger boiled over, leading to Hardik Pandya being booed and jeered both on the field and on social media forums alike.

The most detrimental repercussion was a severe drop in his personal performance and that of his team, which managed to win only four out of 14 games during the whole of IPL 2024.

As reported by The Times of India, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, who played alongside Hardik Pandya for three seasons (2015, 2016, 2017), expressed optimism that Hardik's fortunes would change during the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. He asserted that a 'different Hardik Pandya' would emerge, highlighting the numerous occasions where Hardik has demonstrated his true prowess with both bat and ball for various teams. The 43-year-old also extended his best wishes to Hardik for the global tournament, which will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the US in June.

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"When he wears that blue jersey, he will be a different Hardik Pandya because we know he can score those runs and take those wickets. I want Hardik to come good as he has gone through a lot, and I wish him all the very best to have a very good tournament for India," stated Harbhajan, as quoted by TOI.I

I would urge the management to bring everyone together...: Harbhajan Singh

Widespread rumors and speculations suggested a significant rift and the emergence of multiple factions within the dressing room of the five-time IPL-winning team. This discord was purportedly due to the abrupt change in captaincy, with players allegedly divided by conflicting loyalties. Along the same lines, Harbhajan observed that amid all this drama and the multiple narratives circulating, 'Hardik wasn't a free man in the last two months'. He further noted that winning the World Cup would be a much greater achievement than winning the IPL. and therefore, urged the team management to unify everyone, stay on the same page, and ensure cohesion, regardless of the final result.

Also Read: 'But this decision has backfired' - Harbhajan Singh dissects reason behind MI's lackluster performance in IPL 2024

"It looked like they (MI) were not playing together as a team. So, there was a lot going on. Hardik wasn't a free man in the last two months. Winning a World Cup is a bigger achievement than winning an IPL trophy, so I would urge the management to bring everyone together, have them on one page and make sure they play like one. I believe it's the responsibility of the management to come together, and win together. Even if they lose, they should be losing together," mentioned Harbhajan.