They should have pushed him as a face the first go around and I think he could have taken off a bit tbh. You'd see all the stuff he was doing off TV during that push and he was the nicest, most humble and likable guy who was thrilled and proud to be carrying the mantle of his people at a level that's never been done, then he'd go on TV and be an 80s foreign heel. I think the shock and wtf of Jinder getting the rocket push out of the blue but then people finding out he's actually a really solid dude trying so hard could have gotten him the kind of natural underdog support they're always trying to get.