Mumbai Indians Name Hardik Pandya as New Captain, Fans Express Disappointment
Jayawardene talked about this after it made a lot of Rohit Sharma’s fans feel upset. Many of them shared their feelings of disappointment and anger on social media.
SUMMARY
- Mahela Jayawardene mentioned it was a hard choice to make Hardik Pandya the captain instead of Rohit Sharma.
- On December 15, Mumbai Indians (MI) appointed Hardik Pandya as their new captain.
- Pandya will take over from Rohit, who has won five IPL titles.
On Tuesday, Mumbai Indians’ Global Head of Cricket, Mahela Jayawardene, mentioned that making Hardik Pandya the captain instead of Rohit Sharma was a “difficult decision,” but it was necessary at this point.
On December 15, Mumbai Indians (MI) announced Hardik Pandya as their new captain. He will take over from Rohit, who boasts five IPL titles.
Jayawardene talked about this after it made many of Rohit Sharma’s fans feel upset. A lot of them shared their feelings of disappointment and anger on social media.
Talking to Jio Cinema, Jayawardene said, “Deciding this was hard. It was emotional, to be honest. It’s understandable for the fans to react. I think everyone is emotional, and we have to respect that. But as a team, you have to make those decisions.”
The ex-Sri Lanka captain also mentioned that having Rohit Sharma in the team, both on and off the field, to mentor the next generation is crucial for them. “He has been outstanding. I have worked closely with him. He is a fantastic person, and I’m confident he will be part of the legacy to guide the team forward.”
Jayawardene also pointed to Sachin Tendulkar as an example when discussing the change in captaincy. He mentioned that the cricket legend relinquished his captaincy to focus on playing as a senior batter and mentoring the younger players.
“Sachin played alongside the younger players. He passed on the captaincy to someone else and ensured Mumbai Indians were on the right path. It’s a similar scenario. We had discussions, and everyone is on board with the plan. We’re excited about the upcoming season,” he added.
Sharma, on the other hand, had been the captain of Mumbai Indians since 2013. However, he will not be leading the franchise in IPL 2024.
Rohit Sharma took a break from cricket after India’s loss in the World Cup 2023 Final against Australia. He is scheduled to make his comeback in the two-match series against South Africa, commencing on December 26.
Hardik Pandya, who led Gujarat Titans (GT) to victory in IPL 2022, was traded to Mumbai Indians (MI) from GT before the retention deadline in November.
