Mumbai Indians' IPL 2024 campaign was marred by hostile receptions to captain Hardik Pandya, with the side finishing rock bottom. A lot has happened since, with Hardik winning two ICC titles with India, including the T20 World Cup in June last year. MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene expects their fans to "see beyond what happened last season" as Hardik prepares to play his first game in the new season. Hardik had missed MI's season opener against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk last weekend owing to an over-rate offence from last season.
"I think it's just a game of cricket. Fans are fans and the emotions are part of it and I'm sure that everyone has gone beyond that," Jayawardene said on the eve of MI's match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Saturday. "It's amazing to see how the loyalty and everything works even in IPL, which is fascinating, and I've enjoyed that from the outside. Twelve months on, he has achieved a lot more and I'm sure everyone will see beyond what has happened last year. We can enjoy a good game of cricket and everyone can enjoy a good game of cricket."
MI have never beaten GT in Ahmedabad in three attempts since IPL 2023, but Jayawardene wasn't too perturbed by it.
"I think we just take the present situation as simple as that," he said. "I'm trying to recall whether I had been involved. No. So there you go. It's a start."
MI continue to be without Jasprit Bumrah who is expected to join the squad at some point in April. He is currently undergoing rehab at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
"On a daily basis he's going through his programme," Jayawardene said of Bumrah. "So far everything seems ok but there were no timelines given by NCA so we'll wait on that."
In the absence of both Bumrah and Hardik against CSK, MI handed out IPL debuts to seamer S Raju and left-arm wristspinner Vignesh Puthur. While Raju bowled just over for 13 runs, Puthur was more impressive, returning 3 for 32, despite no T20 or representative cricket experience before that fixture. After MI had plucked him out of the inaugural Kerala T20 league, a stint as a net bowler with MI Cape Town in the 2024-25 SA20 fast-tracked his development. At the SA20, Puthur had the opportunity to work with Rashid Khan. On Saturday, he could come up against Rashid, who will spearhead GT's attack.
"I wasn't there [at the SA20]," Jayawardene said. "Yes, I was part of the thought process, but I wasn't there. It was just to get him out and expose him to cricket because we felt that there is talent and because he hasn't played much cricket prior, give him that exposure working with some players. And that's about it. VP is being chilled and he's getting along with it."