All-rounder Hardik Pandya’s return to Mumbai Indians and his elevation as the skipper of the 5-time champion team came as a shock for MI fans. The internet is abuzz with reactions from IPL franchises, MI players, and fans with most of them criticizing the MI management for replacing Rohit Sharma, who led the franchise for 10 years. But, the decision seems to be well thought out as a report by TheIndianExpress has claimed that Hardik Pandya’s return to Mumbai Indians was tied to the captaincy role.
The report also added that Rohit Sharma was informed about the decision during ICC World Cup 2023 and the Team India skipper decided to play under Hardik Pandya during the IPL 2024 season. In a statement after the announcement on Friday, MI’s Global Head of Performance Mahela Jayawardene spoke about staying true to the MI philosophy.
“It is part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready. Mumbai Indians have always been blessed with exceptional leadership right from Sachin to Harbhajan and Ricky to Rohit, who while contributing to the immediate success have always had an eye on strengthening the team for the future. It is in keeping with this philosophy that Hardik Pandya will assume captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season,” Mahela Jayawardene said.
The former Sri Lankan player also thanked Rohit Sharma for his successful 10-year tenure as the captain of Mumbai Indians. “We express our gratitude to Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership; his tenure as the captain of the Mumbai Indians since 2013 has been nothing short of extraordinary. His leadership has not only brought unparalleled success to the team but has also solidified his place as one of the finest captains in the history of the IPL. Under his guidance, MI became one of the most successful and loved teams ever. We will look forward to his guidance and experience on and off the field to further strengthen MI,” Jayawardene added.
Rohit Sharma fans burn Mumbai Indians jerseys
Mumbai Indians fans expressed their anger with the franchise after Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as the skipper. One Rohit Sharma fan also shared a video where he can be seen burning the MI jersey to lodge his protest against the move.
The Instagram handle of Mumbai Indians has reportedly lost more than 5 lakh followers since the announcement of the decision.
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Published: 16 Dec 2023, 04:26 PM IST