Hardik Pandya has been through a lot, want him to do well at T20 World Cup: Harbhajan Singh

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh feels Hardik Pandya has been through a lot and he wants him to do well in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Pandya led Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024 but the team finished the tournament as the wooden-spooners with only four wins in 14 matches.

The all-rounder was also booed by the Ahmedabad crowd and faced a similar situation while leading at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Pandya scored 216 runs in 13 innings at an average of 18 and picked 11 wickets at a high economy rate of 10.75.

Thus, Pandya didn’t have a great run in the IPL but he will be determined to prove his mettle in the T20 World Cup.

“When he wears that blue jersey, he will be a different Hardik Pandya because we know he can score those runs and take those wickets. I want Hardik to come good as he has gone through a lot and I wish him all the very best to have a very good tournament for India,” Harbhajan told PTI.

The Turbanator reckons India’s success will rely on Pandya’s form in the T20 World Cup.

“If he has a good tournament, obviously India will have a great chance to go forward,” he said.

Bhajji reckons Mumbai Indians were not playing as a unit in IPL 2024 with Pandya as a leader and it led to their downfall.

“Yes, his form is a bit of a concern…and a lot of other stuff was going on around him. His shifting from Gujarat to Mumbai was a big change and the team didn’t react too well to Hardik coming back and that too as captain,” the 43-year-old added.

“…it looked like they were not playing together as a team. So there was a lot going on. Hardik wasn’t a free man in the last two months. I believe both of them and many others who have played in different teams will have to come together to do something special for the nation…,” he said.

India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5th.