Pratidin Bureau
Yuvraj Singh, a beloved Indian cricketer, was surprisingly booed by the Wankhede crowd in Mumbai when he was leading the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) to a one-run victory over Mumbai Indians, then led by Sachin Tendulkar.
The reason for the booing was reportedly due to Yuvraj's perceived lack of form and the fact that he had earlier played for Mumbai Indians.
Just this season, Hardik Pandya, the star all-rounder, was booed by the Ahmedabad crowd during a match between his new team, the Gujarat Titans, and his former team, the Mumbai Indians. Pandya had been a key player for Mumbai Indians for many years and had even captained them to an IPL title.
However, he was released by the team ahead of the 2024 season and was picked up by the Gujarat Titans. The Ahmedabad crowd, it seems, did not appreciate Pandya's decision to leave Mumbai Indians.
This is a well-known instance. Virat Kohli, usually adored by fans, was booed by the Wankhede crowd in Mumbai during an IPL match against the Mumbai Indians. The reason? A controversial run-out decision where Kohli appealed for the dismissal of Mumbai batsman Ambati Rayudu.
The crowd felt the decision was unfair and expressed their displeasure by booing Kohli throughout the match, even during his batting and the post-match presentation.