'Respect our players' - Actor Sonu Sood throws his weight behind Hardik Pandya, deletes story later

Popular Bollywood actor Sonu Sood recently took to his social media handles and voiced his support for cricketers amid the severe criticism Hardik Pandya is facing in the aftermath of a couple of dismal performances in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

The Baroda all-rounder surprisingly returned to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2024. The five-time champions subsequently dropped a bombshell when he was announced as the captain, replacing the iconic Rohit Sharma. Since then, Rohit's fans have targetted Hardik and lambasted the decision from the Mumbai-based franchise.

Sonu, who shared screen space with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shahrukh Khan in the movie 'Happy New Year', addressed cricketers as 'heroes' and said that he respects them irrespective of the franchises they represent or the roles they play in it.

“We should respect our players. Players who made us proud, players who made our country proud. One day you cheer for them, next day you boo them. It’s not they, it’s us who fail. I love cricket. I love every cricketer who represents my country. Doesn’t matter which franchise he plays for. Doesn’t matter whether he’s plays as a Captain or he’s the 15th man in a team. They are our Heroes (tricolour emoji)," Sonu, who is also known for his social work, said.

However, the 50-year-oldwent on to delete the post from all his various social media accounts.

Also Read: 'Block it out, it's all irrelevant' - Steve Smith to Hardik Pandya on crowd abuse during IPL 2024

Mumbai Indians' troublesome start to IPL 2024

Mumbai Indians have suffered back-to-back losses to start their IPL 2024 campaign. Their first defeat came against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad before Sunrisers Hyderabad got the better of them in Hyderabad. Hardik has scored just 35 runs from the two games and picked up one wicket. He has been criticised by the fans as well as experts, not just for his performances with the bat and ball but also for his decision-making as a captain.

Also Read: Reports: MI divided into two groups, owners backing captain Hardik Pandya

Hardik and Co. are languishing at No. 9 on the points table. They will look to bounce back and register their first win in the campaign when they take on the undefeated Rajasthan Royals at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday, April 1.