Former South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher has said that IPL 2024 was very tough for Hardik Pandya and he deserves better than being booed by the home crowd every time he takes the field, adding that the latter has become a tough character by all the experience from last season. It was a turbulent IPL 2024 for Pandya after he replaced India skipper Rohit Sharma as Mumbai captain. The decision did not go well with Mumbai fans and they booed the former at the Wankhede Stadium at every chance. But things have changed since then and Pandya is expected to get the support of the crowd following playing a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy wins. Let’s get going @mipaltan ? pic.twitter.com/zez3oGxGxr — hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) March 20, 2025 “It was tough for him (Pandya) last season. He was being booed by the crowd every time he took the field, he deserves better, he deserves 100 per cent respect,” Boucher said while speaking on JioHotstar. “A cricketer never wants such a thing to happen to him. But he is a tough character,” Boucher added. The former Protea wicketkeeper was at the helm in Mumbai when Pandya took over from Rohit and had first-hand access to Pandya as he dealt with the public backlash. “He is a battle-hardened cricketer. He has been through tough times, injuries, form and many things but he overcame everything and achieved success. The greats of cricket have to be tough and he has shown that,” Boucher said. “IPL is better with Hardik on the field, the game of cricket is better with Hardik on the field,” Boucher added. Meanwhile, Pandya has said that now that the contentious Impact Player rule has been extended by three years, a player has to be a pure allrounder to find a place in the playing XI. “In the current scenario, it becomes difficult if you are not completely a 50-50 all-rounder to find your place. Going forward this can change or will change, we will have to see,” Pandya told the media. The star India allrounder will miss Mumbai’s opening match on Sunday, March 23 because of a match suspension for over-rate-related offences in 2024. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team.