Former India coach Ravi Shastri feels the fan backlash towards Hardik Pandya could have been avoided had Mumbai Indians shown “clarity in communication” while announcing him as captain.

‘Franchise is boss’

Shastri also advised Pandya to stay calm and weather the storm with solid performances. “This is not the Indian cricket team that’s playing. This is franchise cricket. They have paid top dollar. They are the bosses. It’s their entitlement as to who they want as captain. Okay, where I think this could have been handled better was with more clarity in communication,” Shastri told Star Sports Cricket Live Show. “If you wanted Hardik Pandya as captain, then say that we are looking at the future. We are looking to build.