The Mumbai Indians locker room has been the subject of rumors and speculation ever since Rohit Sharma was suddenly removed from the captaincy responsibilities for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season in December last year. This time, the new captain of Mumbai Indians is Hardik Pandya, who was bought from Gujarat Titans in late November. While some media sources have speculated that Hardik may have a “captaincy clause” in his contract, others have stated that Rohit was not happy with the franchise’s choice. Before the 17th season began, the Mumbai Indians published a team video amidst all the excitement, featuring the first-ever sighting of Rohit and Hardik together following the captaincy news. It’s interesting to note that Hardik had just said he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable with the seasoned Indian opener.
Rohit captained the Mumbai Indians from 2013 to 2023, and the squad won the IPL five times. However, because of his decreasing performance with the bat, Rohit was divested of his leadership responsibilities. This decision was met with disdain from cricket fans and many experienced cricketers, resulting in a considerable backlash.
Hardik Pandya vs Rohit Sharma Updated
Speaking at the pre-tournament news conference, Hardik expressed confidence that he would have Rohit’s support throughout the season as Mumbai strives to usher in a new age.
Hardik hasn’t got the opportunity to sit down and discuss their season plans because Rohit is so busy with international cricket.
“The answer to that is both yes and no,” the 30-year-old explained. “Given his busy schedule with travel and matches, we haven’t had a chance to catch up in person in a few months. But we’re all pros, and once the team meets and he joins us, we’ll absolutely talk.”
When questioned if being liberated of the pressures of captaincy will allow Rohit to perform at his peak, especially given his recent good form, Hardik responded.
On Monday, Hardik mentioned, “Things won’t change much because he’ll always be there to offer support when I need it.” “Having him as the captain of the Indian team is beneficial because our team has achieved so much under his leadership.” “Moving forward, there won’t be any discomfort because our focus will be on continuing the success he has already established.”
Hardik Pandya stated that we have played together for nearly ten years, and I am confident that he will keep his hand on my shoulders throughout the IPL season.
The Mumbai Indians, captained by captain Hardik, will begin their IPL 2024 trip on March 24th against his previous team, the Gujarat Titans, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
A team video including MI’s IPL 2024 anthem was published by the team after the press conference. Numerous well-known characters from the series, including the venerable Sachin Tendulkar, were featured in the video. Nonetheless, the final seconds of the one-minute, thirty-two-second video captured the interest of social media users the most. This was because it was the first time after the big announcement that Rohit and Hardik were together in the same frame.
While many MI supporters were ecstatic to see the two veteran cricketers together, some onlookers pointed out that Hardik and Rohit were sitting apart on the couch.
One of the first questions addressed by the press on Monday was if Hardik had spoken with Rohit since taking over the captaincy, to which the all-rounder teased with a sense of suspense.
“It’s a bit of both, really,” he replied. We haven’t seen each other in a few months due to his hectic travel and playing schedule. We’ll definitely catch up once the team is together and he joins us, though—we’re all pros.”
