"Life puts you in situations..." Hardik Pandya opens up on difficult phase during IPL 2024

New Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was booed by the fans during IPL 2024.

Star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has opened up about the difficult phase in his career recently during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

There was a huge uproar on social media when Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians (MI) and became the new MI skipper, replacing Rohit Sharma who had led the franchise to five IPL titles.

Then, during the tournament, the emotions and reactions of the fans on social media were observed in the stadiums as Pandya was severely booed, not only in Ahmedabad and Mumbai but also at neutral venues.

Matters became worse for the 30-year-old as MI had a terrible season, in which they finished at the bottom of the points table. Hardik himself had a disappointing tournament with the bat, as he managed an average of only 18.

There are good times and bad times: Hardik Pandya

After the IPL, he took a break before joining the Indian cricket team in New York for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Speaking with Star Sports ahead of the tournament, Hardik said he wanted to “stay in the battle” and face the tough situations.

Pandya said, “Eventually, I believe, you have to stay in the battle. Sometimes life puts you in situations where things are tough. But, I believe that if you leave the game or the field, the battle that is, you won’t get what you want from your sport or the results you are looking for.

“So, yes, it has been difficult, but at the same time I have been process-driven. I have tried to follow the same routines I used to follow earlier.

“At the same time these things happen; there are good times and bad times, these are phases that come and go. That is fine. I have gone through these phases many times and I will come out of it as well.”

The Baroda cricketer revealed that he would think about how a 16-year-old Hardik would tackle such situations as he did earlier in his life.

“Hardik Pandya right now at 30 is a much, much easier job compared to what Hardik Pandya was when I was 16. So, I go back to the 16-year-old and I ask him how did you do it, why did you do it?” he added.

In the warm-up match against Bangladesh, Pandya blasted 40* runs in 23 balls with the help of four sixes.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket for IPL 2024 Live Score & IPL Points Table,  on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.