Rohit Sharma no more the captain of Mumbai Indians as Hardik Pandya takes over the captaincy
In a significant turn of events, the Mumbai Indians have unveiled Hardik Pandya as their captain for the upcoming IPL 2024 season, marking the end of Rohit Sharma's illustrious decade-long stint at the helm. The decision comes on the heels of Hardik's successful leadership with the Gujarat Titans, where he secured the IPL crown in 2022 before making a triumphant return to Mumbai last month.
Having been a pivotal part of the Mumbai Indians' victories in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020, Pandya's return to the franchise as captain signals a new era for the team. The announcement was made by Mahela Jayawardene, the former Sri Lanka captain, who emphasized the franchise's commitment to legacy building and staying future-ready.
"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," said Jayawardene.
Rohit Sharma, who took over the captaincy from Ricky Ponting in 2013, leaves behind a remarkable legacy as the fourth-highest run-scorer in IPL history. However, questions have arisen about his effectiveness in T20 cricket, especially after a lackluster performance in the last two IPL seasons.
At 36, Rohit's role in T20s, both for MI and the Indian team, has come under scrutiny. The last season saw him post his worst-ever IPL performance, managing only 268 runs from 14 matches at an average of 19.14. Although the subsequent season showed improvement with 332 runs from 16 innings, the absence of a single half-century in the last two editions raised concerns over his impact in T20 cricket.
Mahela Jayawardene acknowledged Rohit Sharma's contributions and highlighted the importance of his continued involvement with the franchise. "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. We welcome Hardik Pandya as the new captain of MI and wish him all the very best," Jayawardene stated in the groundbreaking release from Mumbai Indians.
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