Treatment of Hardik Pandya a new low for Indian fandom – Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles

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Hardik Pandya for MI (Picture: IPL)

Probably the most disturbing visuals that surfaced within the aftermath of the Mumbai Indians -Gujarat Titans recreation was a Hardik Pandya fan being crushed up by some Rohit Sharma supporters. His crime? How may he be a Pandya fan, when his hero is presently Rohit’s captain on the Mumbai Indians?

Frankly, it has taken me hours to digest what transpired. It’s very similar to the theatre of the absurd. That such a factor can occur in actuality speaks volumes in regards to the immaturity of Indian followers and the rising toxicity that’s now part of our fandom. Anybody who can beat up a fellow fan for supporting another person isn’t a fan within the first place. Such unhinged individuals are, in actuality, a blot on fandom.

Second, Pandya getting booed or abused is simply unacceptable. He was traded to the Mumbai Indians and opted to just accept the provide as a result of it was a profession improve. Any sportsperson is inside his rights to take action. Mumbai determined to spend money on him as captain, and it’s totally their name because the franchise in query. To abuse Hardik is simply ridiculous.

And if these followers really feel that by abusing Hardik, they’re displaying their loyalty to Rohit, they’re badly mistaken. Figuring out Rohit effectively, he can be the final particular person to face for such toxicity. The 2 must play collectively, and accomplish that with full dedication for MI to face an opportunity. As professionals, they know their job, as now we have seen within the very first recreation. There’ll by no means be any much less dedication from Rohit, for that’s how he’s and the way knowledgeable needs to be. Whereas a few of Hardik’s captaincy calls may certainly be questioned, like sending Tim David forward of himself, to abuse him and name him names is obvious unacceptable.

The moot level right here is the abuse and the toxicity. You’ll be able to absolutely have reservations about Hardik or anybody else. You would possibly really feel let down as a result of he determined to depart Gujarat and be a part of MI. As a Rohit fan, you would possibly effectively ask why did the franchise went with Hardik as captain? However to escalate such ideas and feelings to the extent of abuse and bodily hurt is toxicity of a really completely different stage, and that speaks volumes in regards to the society now we have changed into. We’re an illiberal lot, and that’s the reality. Now we have misplaced the fundamental human instincts of empathy and dignity, and aren’t actually sports activities followers within the first place. We don’t assist groups. Fairly, we declare to assist people, and the index of loyalty is now measured by the quantity of vitriol heaped on one other participant.

 

Pandya was trending all day yesterday, and of the 200,000 tweets, 90 p.c had been abusive. We neglect that it’s simply the primary recreation in a 18-game league. We neglect that it was only one shot that separated the 2 groups, and that Mumbai are historically sluggish starters. Even when he made just a few errors as captain, to see the sort of hatred spewed was a brand new low for Indian fandom.

And will I remind a few of these followers that Hardik is a former MI participant who has been part of three IPL-winning groups. The very least one expects from followers is a few maturity. Because the IPL turns right into a mature competitors, we’d like the followers to develop up as effectively. To abuse and bodily assault fellow followers can by no means be acceptable conduct and it solely reveals us all in dangerous gentle. No matter it was, it was not sport. Hardik and Rohit each deserve higher, and so do the bigger cross-section of followers who’re all shocked by this stage of regressive behaviour. MI and India will want Rohit and Hardik collectively within the coming months, and the least we will do is be with them and again them, quite than making an attempt to divide them whereas flinging filth.   

Hardik Pandya, MI vs GT, IPL 2024 (Picture IPL)



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