Amidst the turbulent reception from fans in this IPL season, Hardik Pandya seems to relish the challenge of winning them over, according to Mumbai Indians' Ishan Kishan. Taking over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma for Mumbai, Pandya has faced consistent boos from the crowd, including during Thursday night's clash against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Nevertheless, amidst the sea of disapproval, Pandya discovered a pocket of support at the Wankhede Stadium, with encouragement even coming from rival star batsman Virat Kohli. "He (Pandya) loves challenges," remarked Kishan to the media post-Mumbai Indians' triumphant victory over RCB. "I know that he must be enjoying it. I know him personally. He is ready for the challenges because you cannot complain to the fans, they will come up with their explanations and their point of views."
Kishan expressed confidence that Pandya, known for his prowess with both bat and ball, could turn the tide with his performances. "But knowing how Hardik Pandya thinks, he is happy with people doing it but I know that in the coming games he will do it with the bat and people will start loving him (again)," he predicted.
Acknowledging the fickleness of Indian cricket fans, Kishan emphasized their tendency to recognize and appreciate a player's hard work despite initial skepticism. "People also recognize your hard work, what you are going through and still you are doing so well for your team," he remarked optimistically.
Turning to the team's bowling performance, particularly Jasprit Bumrah's stellar 5-wicket haul, Kishan remained confident in the overall team strategy. "We will get through that because planning is always there," he assured. Despite some wayward deliveries from other bowlers, Kishan highlighted the positives, noting, "We have to look at the positives that the bowlers did a great job in restricting RCB below 200."
