Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma – File photo© BCCI/Sportzpics
As the Indian cricket team gears up for the T20 World Cup 2024, the reflections of Hardik Pandya-Rohit Sharma’s bitter Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign are still being seen in the rearview mirror. It isn’t yet known how the two would go about doing their job in the Indian team, despite what happened in the IPL. Former India allrounder Irfan Pathan and retired Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden, however, feel there shouldn’t be any chatter about the IPL in the Indian team between Rohit and Hardik.
“The conversation of IPL shouldn’t be happening, not even once. Don’t talk about it, just focus on what Rahul Dravid wants from a particular player like Hardik Pandya or anyone else. Just make sure that they are focussed on that,” Irfan Pathan said in a chat on ESPNCricinfo.
Hayden, fellow expert on the show, echoed Irfan’s statement, saying there’s no need to address what happened in the IPL at Mumbai Indians. It’s all about the Indian team and the T20 World Cup now.
“Without one word, you know who the leader is. Nothing has to be spoken. You look at each other, you understand what needs to happen and you go about it. It’s music to my ears what Irfan just said, about how it is that you are not going to address it. Don’t even talk about it,” Hayden said.
“Australia doesn’t have a celebrity culture. Fortunately or unfortunately, we have that. Ideally I would want a nice balance between Australian culture and Indian culture, where we come in between. Sometimes having that kind of a culture doesn’t help us. But at the same time, we are what we are. We are not Australians. We are Indians. Our emotions, ethics and mindsets are different,” Pathan further added..
The mood in the Mumbai Indians camp during the IPL didn’t look conducive to good cricket at all, with reports emerging of there being two groups inside the team. As a result of the poor atmosphere, the franchise finished bottom of the 10-team points table despite possessing a formidable squad on paper.
It would be interesting to see if Rohit stays put at the franchise next season. With the mega auction set to take place before the IPL 2025 campaign, Mumbai Indians have a big call to make with regards to Rohit’s future.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
