IPL: Mahela Jayawardene urges MI fans to support Hardik Pandya
What's the story
Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene hopes fans will support Hardik Pandya when he returns to the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2025.
This comes after a controversial 2024 season which saw Pandya shift from Gujarat Titans to MI and faced a lot of boos from fans.
The Ahmedabad crowd's reaction is particularly significant as Pandya prepares for his first match of the season against GT in Ahmedabad.
Here's more.
Coach's appeal
Jayawardene urges fans to support Pandya
Jayawardene's appeal comes after a season of fan hostility toward Pandya, after his change of heart.
The MI captain was even booed at Wankhede Stadium during the captaincy controversy last season.
Nevertheless, Jayawardene is hopeful of the fans' response toward Pandya in 2025.
"Twelve months on, he's (Hardik Pandya) achieved a lot more, and I hope that people will see beyond what happened last year," Jayawardene said ahead of the MI vs GT match.
Team status
MI's recent performance and injury update
The Mumbai Indians recently lost their opener against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with both batting and bowling departments failing to leave a mark.
Pandya missed that game due to suspension.
Jayawardene confirmed all players are fit except for Jasprit Bumrah, who is recovering from an injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
He said, "Everyone is available except for Bumrah... So far, everything seems okay. But there were no timelines given by NCA, so we'll wait on that."
Pandya
A look at Pandya's impressive achievements since 2024 IPL
Despite MI finishing 10th in IPL 2024, their skipper has been making headlines on the international stage.
After the IPL, he played a key role in India's victorious 2024 T20 World Cup campaign.
He then contributed to India's triumph in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai under Rohit Sharma's leadership.
Now, Pandya will aim to carry his stellar form into IPL 2025 and lead MI to success.