Aoba Tanaka 
As the Indian Premier League (IPL) season unfolds, Mumbai Indians’ star player Hardik Pandya finds himself under scrutiny from fans, facing boos and criticism, a situation somewhat unfamiliar to top Indian players. In light of this, former Australian captain Steven Smith has offered some words of advice, suggesting that Pandya should simply “block out” the negativity surrounding him.
Smith, who himself endured constant heckling following his involvement in the 2018 Newlands ball-tampering scandal, empathized with Pandya’s predicament. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, Smith emphasized the importance of Pandya receiving support from his teammates, especially from Rohit Sharma, whom he succeeded as captain of Mumbai Indians for IPL 2024.
Reflecting on his own experiences, Smith shared how he treated heckling as “white noise,” urging Hardik Pandya to adopt a similar approach. However, he acknowledged that the situation might be challenging for Pandya, given the rarity of Indian stars facing such backlash from fans.
While Smith remains unaffected by external criticism, he acknowledged that players respond differently to such situations, suggesting that the fan backlash could potentially impact Pandya, who may not have encountered such adversity before.
Indeed, the IPL serves as a unique platform where emotions run high, and the pressure to perform is intense, particularly for homegrown talent like Pandya. As Pandya navigates through this phase, support from teammates and resilience in the face of criticism will be crucial in helping him overcome these challenges and focus on his game.
