The Mumbai Indians named Hardik Pandya as captain of the team for the IPL 2024 in a historic move. This move effectively ends Rohit Sharma’s 10-year captaincy reign with the Mumbai Indians.
Hardik returned to the Mumbai Indians after two years away and was named captain. He would be following in the footsteps of the Indian Premier League’s joint-most successful captain. After two disappointing years since his departure, Hardik Pandya is expected to win the trophy this season.
Hardik Pandya’s historic moment in IPL 2024:
The Mumbai Indians’ Global Head of Performance, Mahela Jayawardene, issued a statement about the captaincy change. He stated, “It is part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready. The Mumbai Indians have always had exceptional leadership, from Sachin to Harbhajan and Ricky to Rohit, who have all contributed to the team’s immediate success while also looking to the future. In keeping with this philosophy, Hardik Pandya will captain the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2024 season.”
Mahela Jayawardene spoke about the Mumbai Indians’ legacy. He thanked Rohit Sharma for his outstanding leadership over the last decade.
The former Sri Lankan batter said, “We express our gratitude to Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership; his tenure as captain of the Mumbai Indians since 2013 has been nothing short of extraordinary. His leadership has not only led to the team’s unprecedented success, but it has also cemented his place as one of the best captains in IPL history.”
He further added, “MI became one of the most successful and well-liked teams in history under his leadership. We look forward to his guidance and experience on and off the field to help MI grow. We congratulate Hardik Pandya on his appointment as MI’s new captain and wish him all the best.” Check out the fan’s reaction to the latest development below.
Rohit Sharma’s captaincy:
Rohit took over as MI captain from Ricky Ponting midway through the 2013 IPL season and led the team to their first title, defeating Chennai Super Kings in the final. Rohit is the IPL’s fourth-highest run-scorer with 6211 runs, 3986 of which have come as captain – across 157 innings at 129.37 SR with 25 fifties.
Rohit’s total is the third-highest among IPL captains, trailing only Kohli’s 4994 runs and Dhoni’s 4660. Hardik began his IPL career with the Mumbai Indians in 2015 and has scored 1476 runs and taken 42 wickets for the franchise. Pandya was signed as an uncapped player for INR 10 lakh and quickly became an integral part of the team, playing in MI’s title-winning teams in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
A new beginning:
“We thank Rohit Sharma for his outstanding leadership; his tenure as captain of the Mumbai Indians since 2013 has been nothing short of extraordinary. His leadership has not only brought the team unprecedented success but has also cemented his place as one of the best captains in IPL history,” Jayawardene added.
Rohit’s role in the franchise becomes even more important. Rohit’s participation in T20s, both for MI and India, has come under scrutiny at the age of 36. In fact, Rohit’s worst season was the one in which MI finished fifth and failed to qualify for the Playoffs, with 268 runs from 14 matches at an average of 19.14.
The following season, IPL 2023, was a little better, with 332 runs from 16 innings, but here’s an alarming fact: Rohit has gone without a single half-century in the last two IPLs, raising questions about his effectiveness as a T20 force.
So, this was all about Hardik Pandya taking the lead during IPL 2024. Also read, Top 5 most HOTTEST female footballers in the world!
