IPL 2024: Ravi Shastri Explains How Mumbai Indians Could Have Handled Hardik Pandya Captaincy Row Better

Add as a preferred source on Google

New Delhi, Apr 3: The ongoing fan backlash towards Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya is a burning topic in the ongoing IPL 2024. Experts are debating over how the entire controversy could have been avoided and former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes had the franchise shown 'clarity in communication' while announcing the India all-rounder as captain.

Speaking on Star Sports show 'Cricket Live', Shastri commented on how a franchise can opt not to have the current India captain as their captain, saying, "This is not the Indian cricket team that's playing. This is franchise cricket. They have paid top dollar. They're the bosses. It's their entitlement as to who they want as captain."

"Okay, where I think this could have been handled better was with more clarity in communication. If you wanted Hardik Pandya as captain, then say that we are looking at the future. We are looking to build. Rohit has done a fabulous job, as everyone knows, and we want him to help out Hardik in these next three years as the team progresses," the 61-year-old Mumbaikar said.

The former India captain further stated that the franchise should have clarified more to avoid such an embarrassment. "That communication, that clarity should have come out a little more for all this to die down. So it's not a case of you saying, 'No, we don't want Rohit Sharma,' or 'He was treated badly,' and all the things that are coming out in social media."

Shastri - who has been part of the Indian national team as coach - went on to say that some stories are planted in the media with ulterior motives and advised MI captain Hardik Pandya to stay calm and weather the storm.

"There's a lot of bull crap out there as well. You know, and some of the stories are just planted. A lot of it is just planted on other people's names, including my name. So my advice to Hardik would be to be calm, patient, ignore, and just focus on your game.

"Get a couple of performances going. Mumbai Indians is a terrific side. If they get on a roll, they win three or four matches on the trot, everything will subside. At the end of the day, nothing beats results. You win matches, and things will change," Shastri claimed further.

Former Australia captain, Steve Smith has backed the Mumbai-based franchise to come back strongly in the coming days. Speaking on Star Sports, the Australian batting star said, "Mumbai hasn't started the season well. That's a fact, but that has happened in the past as well. So they'll be confident they can turn it around with what they've got in the dressing room. They just need to unite together. People need to get behind Hardik, support him in any way that they can."