By: Aditya Ahuja 

Former Indian cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar intervened as the Wankhede stadium crowd unleashed boos towards Mumbai Indians’ skipper Hardik Pandya, during the toss against Rajasthan Royals in an Indian Premier League match.

“With the two captains with me, Mumbai Indians’ captain Hardik Pandya, big round of applause, ladies and gentlemen. Behave!”, Manjrekar said at the toss.

After facing similar treatment from fans in Hyderabad, Pandya’s return to his home ground was marred by continued booing from large sections of the crowd.

During the toss, as Manjrekar introduced the 30-year-old Mumbai skipper, the spectators started booing their lungs out, prompting Manjrekar to issue a warning.

Since taking over as the MI skipper from Rohit Sharma, Pandya has encountered jeers and criticism from a large portion of fans, along with scrutiny from former Indian players.

The challenges mounted for Pandya as the five-time IPL champions started the season with losses to Gujarat Titans (GT) and Sunrisers Hyderabad, facing a challenging start.

Even during the pre-season press conference, questions surrounding the captaincy change were directed at Pandya and head coach Mark Boucher. Pandya’s responses, which didn’t directly address the inquiries, led to criticism on social media.