Mumbai Indians (MI) announced on Friday that Hardik Pandya will be leading the team as their captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2024. Hardik takes over the reins from the highly successful Rohit Sharma, who led the IPL giants to five championship victories. This decision comes after Hardik's return to the franchise last month, following a high-profile trade from the Gujarat Titans, where he served as captain for the past two seasons.
Following the announcement of the captaincy change, Mumbai Indians expressed their gratitude and appreciation for Rohit Sharma through a heartfelt post on social media.
"Ro,
In 2013 you took over as captain of MI. You asked us to Believe. In victories & defeats, you asked us to Smile. 10 years & 6 trophies later, here we are. Our forever captain your legacy will be etched in Blue & Gold. Thank you, Captain RO," wrote MI on X, formerly Twitter.
In a statement released on Friday, Mumbai Indians announced a change in leadership as part of their future planning. They expressed their gratitude to Rohit for his exceptional service to the franchise.
Mumbai Indians, along with Chennai Super Kings, are the most successful IPL franchises, both having won five titles each.
Rohit, who recently led India to the ODI World Cup final, has been the captain of Mumbai Indians since 2013, when they secured their first IPL trophy. Under his captaincy, the team went on to win titles in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. Mumbai Indians also reached the playoffs in IPL 2023.
"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," said Mahela Jayawardene, MI's Global Head of Performance.
"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.
"Under his guidance, 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," he added.
The significant development also raises questions about Rohit's future in the shortest format. The 36-year-old was left heartbroken after India fell short in the final hurdle against Australia in the ODI World Cup at home, despite winning 10 consecutive games.
Considering this setback, it seems unlikely that Rohit will make another appearance in the ODI World Cup. However, there is a possibility that he could return to lead India in the T20 World Cup in six months' time.
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