Rohit Sharma scolds Hardik Pandya after defeat vs Gujarat Titans

The IPL 2024 season kicked off with a bang as the Chennai Super Kings, the defending champions, delivered an outstanding performance against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the highly-anticipated Southern Derby. The excitement has only escalated, with each subsequent match providing its dose of entertainment.

A particularly sought-after showdown was between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians, marking Hardik Pandya’s return to Ahmedabad, but as opposition skipper. However, the atmosphere wasn’t entirely welcoming for the new MI Skipper, as he faced a barrage of boos from the crowd. In contrast, former captain Rohit Sharma was greeted with resounding applause.

After the match, tensions ran high as Pandya tried to embrace Sharma, only to be met with what seemed like an annoyed response from the Hitman. Akash Ambani, the franchise’s co-owner, was seen observing closely from the sidelines, suggesting that Sharma’s apparent annoyance with Pandya may have deeper nuances.

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The crowd’s disdain for Pandya was palpable, with continuous boos reverberating throughout the stadium. Conversely, chants in support of Sharma echoed loudly, highlighting the contrasting sentiments among fans.

Coming to the match, Hardik’s men suffered a loss to the Shubman Gill-led side at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera. Despite the impressive performances of Sharma (43 off 29) and Dewald Brevis (46 off 38), Pandya’s debut as captain didn’t go as planned, as he was outdone by an amateur captain of his previous franchise.

Pandya himself tried to finish the game in the least number of overs. With MI needing 19 runs off the bowling of Umesh Yadav, Pandya smashed a six and a four off the first two balls, igniting hopes for the visiting side. However, Yadav kept his composure and took two wickets on the next two deliveries, followed by two singles, ensuring a victory for Gujarat.