Sonu Sood extends his support to Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya amidst criticism following the team’s loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya has faced significant criticism for alleged underperformance in the IPL 2024 season, particularly following Mumbai Indian’s recent defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Fans strongly objected to the decision to replace former captain Rohit Sharma with Hardik, leading to severe criticism and online harassment directed at the cricketer.

Sonu Sood Comes to Hardik Pandya’s Defense In the midst of this criticism, actor Sonu Sood has voiced his support for Hardik Pandya. He took to his official social media handle and wrote, “We should respect our players—those who have made us proud, those who have made our country proud. One day we cheer for them, the next day we boo them. It’s not them, it’s us who fail. I love cricket.”

“I admire every cricketer who represents my country, regardless of the franchise they play for or their role in the team. They are our heroes,” he added.

Hardik Pandya’s wife, Natasa Stankovic, a Serbian model and actor, has faced online bullying. She has been blamed for Hardik’s performance, with hurtful comments left on her Instagram posts.

Unfortunately, criticizing cricketers’ spouses is not uncommon. In 2014, when Kohli scored zero at Lord’s stadium, people blamed Anushka for the loss. Even when Kohli performed well without her presence, she continued to be criticized. In 2016, during a brief separation, fans believed Kohli’s performance improved.