Hardik Pandya on Winning Over Fans After T20 World Cup: ‘That Moment Changed It All’ | IPL 2025

Mumbai: March 17, 2025 : It was a testing time for Hardik Pandya in IPL 2024, a chapter as emotionally charged as it was combative. Playing captain of the Mumbai Indians, Pandya found himself in the eye of controversy—not for anything he did on the field, but for things he did not do off it.

After guiding Gujarat Titans to a trophy in their inaugural season, Pandya made headlines by switching loyalties and returning to the franchise where his IPL journey began Mumbai Indians. However, the move wasn’t universally celebrated. What sparked the most outrage was Pandya’s appointment as captain, replacing Mumbai’s long-standing fan-favorite, Rohit Sharma.

The response from fans was swift and unforgiving. Every time Pandya stepped onto the field at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium, he was greeted not with applause, but with a chorus of boos a stark contrast for the prodigal son, now seen as the man who displaced their beloved hero.

Even though he maintained his calm and was engrossed in the game, the underlying tension was evident during the entire season. But that all changed when Pandya wore the national jersey for India’s T20 World Cup campaign.

Leading from the front, Pandya was one of the major contributors to India’s successful campaign, and he helped the country hold aloft the coveted trophy. And while doing so, he did not just regain India’s pride but also was able to melt the hearts of fans who had turned their backs on him.

Looking back on that volatile time leading up to IPL 2025, Pandya confessed how the T20 World Cup victory helped reverse public opinion in his favor. It wasn’t merely about muzzling detractors it was about reuniting with fans who had once idolized him.

As he prepares for a new IPL season, the boos might have stopped ringing in his ears, but the hard lessons of 2024 still linger on his path a reminder of how fast things can change, both on and off the field.