Hardik getting affected by boos, fans need to change for sake of World Cup: Pietersen

Hardik getting affected by boos, fans need to change for sake of World Cup: Pietersen

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has hit out against fans who have been booing Hardik Pandya throughout the Indian Premier League 2024. Since he was appointed the MI captain, fans have been divided on the issue and have not hidden their feelings against the former GT skipper.  Speaking on Star Sports a day after MI’s loss against CSK at the Wankhede Stadium, Pietersen showed his support to Pandya.

Pandya has been booed in MI’s home at the Wankhede Stadium and the sentiments of a section of the fans turned worse after the all-rounder was hit for three back to back sixes by MS Dhoni in the final over of the match. Pandya’s poor form in the field mixed with the reception of the fans in IPL 2024 has Pietersen worried and the former cricketer put out a passionate defence for the Indian all-rounder on Monday, 15 April.

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“It’s clearly affecting Hardik. I’ve seen how crazy it’s gone all over social media. And having been right in the mix of this 10 years ago when I left the England team and all the nonsense that was happening there, being booed at home, being a villain in the streets, going into restaurants and people look at you funny, this affects you away from the game of cricket,” Pietersen said on Star Sports after MI vs CSK.Â

‘Hard to change perception’

Pietersen equated his life with Pandya’s and said that this constant hate might leave a big mark on Pandya’s life, beyond his cricketing career.Â

“It’s not just affects you, it affects your family. And that’s the fear for what’s happening for me with Hardik at the moment is that this is going to hurt him for a very, very long time. When he finishes his Indian career, when he finishes playing cricket, it’s still going to hurt him and that’s why something drastic has to be done,” Pietersen said.

“But it still hurts me absolutely, massively. I mean, you have a look at the reception sometimes that I get in England on occasions, just have a look at my social media feed. I mean, once you have an imprint like that on and the perception is there about the individual, I mean, it’s hard to change perception. I mean I’ve been coming to India for the last 25 years, I have never, ever heard this sort of noise towards one player,” he further added.

The former England cricketer said that something drastic needed to be done to stop the booing, else this might affect India’s chances at the T20 World Cup 2024, where Hardik might turn up with very low confidence.

“Something drastic has to be done because this guy is an Indian cricketer and in a month’s time you wanna win a World Cup for India. Are the same people who are booing him now going to boo him when he plays against Pakistan in New York on the ninth or the 10th of June. I don’t think so. So it needs to stop and something needs to happen. Something drastic needs to happen because I don’t like seeing another cricket are going through something that I actually went through,” concluded Kevin Pietersen.

MI are currently 8th in the points table with 2 wins and 4 losses.

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