'You can't really help….': MI star on Hardik Pandya' facing criticism, says 'expect things to be different after…'

livemint.com:

MI vs RR IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya is bracing for some intense criticism as Mumbai Indians go against Rajasthan Royals at its home Wankhede Stadium on Monday. So far, Hardik Pandya faced booing crowds, and unfriendly chants at away locations, but this is the first time he will face the Mumbai Indians core fanbase, who are angry at him for replacing Rohit Sharma as the MI skipper. Ahead of the MI vs RR clash, spinner Piyush Chawla came into Hardik Pandya's defense and said Hardik Pandya is focusing on his game.

While responding to questions about the flak Hardik Pandya received from the MI fans, Piyush Chawla said whatever fans do is beyond their control. “Well, that you can't really help because you know, they are a crowd and whatever they are doing is beyond our control so we can't really say what they are doing," Chawla said. “The way Hardik has taken it...he is just focusing on the game, he is not even worried about what the crowd is doing and once we get a win under our belt, things will be totally different," MI's veteran spinner added.

Rajasthan Royals star pacer Trent Boult, who previously played for Mumbai Indians called Hardik Pandya his favourite cricketer and said that he doesn't think the booing will hold for too long. “It is something you cannot control, as professional sportspeople it is what you are exposed to in a way. You have to block out the white noise and focus on the job, (but) it is easier said than done," Boult told the media ahead of RR's match against MI.