It took more than a decade-and-a-half for the Indian Premier League to have its first pure football moment — a controversial player transfer and unflattering social media commentary surrounding it.
Back in December, Hardik Pandya’s move back to his former club Mumbai Indians (MI) after two remarkably successful years as Gujarat Titans (GT) leader sent ripples in the Indian cricketing circles.
For the 30-year-old to then be anointed skipper at MI ahead of Rohit Sharma — captain for a decade and winner of five IPL titles — did not go down well with the Mumbai faithful.
These memories will be rekindled on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium when Hardik, in an MI jersey, walks out for the toss during the season-opener against GT. Will he be jeered at like it usually happens in football or warmly embraced for the two wonderful seasons he gave GT?
Regardless, the cranking up of the atmosphere is simply because ‘The Gentleman’s Game’ is wired very differently vis-a-vis ‘The Beautiful Game’. In football, clubs take prominence and international games punctuate the calendar.
Loyalty is tested every weekend by the club faithful and any misstep is treated with utmost scorn.
Wayne Rooney may have been among England’s most important players, but he wasn’t spared by England-supporting Liverpool fans because of his boyhood connection to arch-rival Everton.
In cricket, club and national fandoms aren’t as independent and emotions do not flow as freely. Sub-nationalist cults flower, but only insofar as they do not disturb an overarching national identity. On that rare occasion in 2013 when Virat Kohli was booed at the Wankhede Stadium, he tapped into the same sentiment.
“I don’t know why they get so worked up,” Kohli said. “It feels a bit weird because at the end of the day, you play for India. You come to Bangalore and you see how Indian players are appreciated.”
L’affaire Hardik did not drastically disturb this equilibrium but merely introduced the first of the discordant notes. This could be seen in how Hardik’s hugging of Rohit during MI’s training on Wednesday was perceived. For some it seemed heartfelt, and for some contrived.
On Friday here, Hardik watched as Rohit and Ishan Kishan took turns to face Jasprit Bumrah and Luke Wood. But it was the bear hug that Shubman Gill got from his former captain just ahead of the training session that caught the eye. All’s well that ends well? Sunday will tell.
