With the selection of Hardik Pandya as their new captain, the Mumbai Indians have officially ushered in a new era. Pandya, who recently joined the Gujarat Titans, assumes the leadership position with great agility, which is a risky move for the future. Mahela Jayawardena, the Global Head of Performance for the Mumbai Indians, stressed that Pandya’s selection reflects the team’s proactive philosophy.
It is a component of creating a lasting legacy and upholding the MI principle of being prepared for the future. The Mumbai Indians have always had outstanding leadership, from Sachin to Harbhajan and Ricky to Rohit, who have all worked to build the team for the future while also contributing to the team’s immediate success. He stated, “Hardik Pandya will take over as captain of the Mumbai Indians for the 2024 Indian Premier League in accordance with this philosophy.”
Sanjay Manjrekar gets candid:
While the Mumbai Indians were excited to learn that Hardik Pandya would be captain, social media users had differing opinions. While expressing their disappointment, some supporters argued for Rohit Sharma to stay in charge. The feeling was sparked by Hardik’s recent exit from MI and the presence of seasoned players like Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav, who were seen by some as possible replacement captains.
In response to the rumblings on the internet, former Indian player Sanjay Manjrekar asked supporters to welcome the change while highlighting Hardik Pandya’s proven leadership abilities.
Manjrekar stated on Star Sports, “We shouldn’t be thinking about Rohit Sharma in an emotional or sentimental way. The Mumbai Indians made a wise decision by bringing in Hardik Pandya, a proven player and leader. Rohit Sharma has been around for a long time and is your in-form T20 captain and player.”
Sanjay drops truth bombs:
Manjrekar supported the captaincy decision but expressed some concern that Pandya might come under a lot of pressure after the fans’ outcry. Manjrekar continued, “I just hope that Hardik Pandya does not feel the pressure due to the way this has happened. It remains to be seen if the cool-headed Pandya thrives under duress or if the five-time winners will regret the decision.”
On the other hand, Recently, Rikita Sajdeh, the wife of Rohit Sharma, made reference to her husband in a remark on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Instagram post. With the release of a special reel on Instagram on Friday, December 14, CSK bid adieu to Rohit and the Mumbai Indians (MI) as their captain.
Since taking over in 2013, MI has won five championships under Rohit’s leadership. Still, they took him off the captain’s chair and handed the reins to Hardik Pandya. They acquired Pandya from the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the end of the previous month. Hardik Pandya reportedly stayed away from the game until he received the all-clear to be named captain. Using their social media platforms, the Mumbai Indians formally announced the guard change on Friday.
So, this was all about the former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar and his comment to the MI fans. Also read, Rishabh Pant is excited to sit on IPL 2024 auction table
