“Must have come as a shock to him to suddenly not be part of the leadership group” – Harbhajan Singh on Rohit Sharma’s replacement as MI captain.
“Must have come as a shock to him to suddenly not be part of the leadership group”
Former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh believes Rohit Sharma’s unexpected ouster as Mumbai Indians (MI) captain for the IPL 2024 may have surprised the senior player.
Despite his huge success as MI captain, Rohit was replaced by Hardik Pandya when the all-rounder returned to the team in an all-cash deal with the Gujarat Titans (GT).
Given Rohit’s immaculate record as captain, the selection drew strong criticism, particularly among MI fans.
The 36-year-old has captained the team since the 2013 season, guiding them to a joint IPL record five trophies.
Harbhajan, speaking on Star Sports’ IPL Daily Show, expressed hope that the move will help the franchise play better.
However, Harbhajan believes Rohit will remain part in the decision-making process in some form or another.
Despite their unprecedented success with five titles between 2013 and 2020, MI has suffered in the previous three seasons.
After missing the playoffs in 2021 and 2022, the team was eliminated by GT in Qualifier 2 last season.
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“He is someone who thrives on challenges” – Harbhajan Singh on Hardik Pandya
Harbhajan Singh expressed his support for Hardik Pandya, adding that the all-rounder thrives on challenges such as heading the Mumbai Indians.
Despite reservations over his choice as MI captain, the 30-year-old has shown to be a capable captain.
Hardik led GT to great success in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Helping the team win in their first participation in 2022 and as runners-up last year.
Hardik has also captained Team India in Twenty20 Internationals since the 2022 World Cup, winning 10 of his 16 matches.
He will begin his MI leadership stint with a highly anticipated match against GT in Ahmedabad on March 24.