Mumbai Indians dropped a massive announcement on Friday, naming Hardik Pandya their captain from the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The move marks the end of a glorious era for the Mumbai Indians, with Rohit Sharma stepping down as captain of the franchise after a decade, in which he led the side to five IPL titles besides a Champions League T20 triumph.
Commenting on the massive decision, Mahela Jayawardene, Global Head of Performance, Mumbai Indians said, “It is part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready. Mumbai Indians have always been blessed with exceptional leadership right from Sachin to Harbhajan and Ricky to Rohit, who while contributing to the immediate success have always had an eye on strengthening the team for the future. It is in keeping with this philosophy that Hardik Pandya will assume captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season.
Jayawardene, who had previously served as head coach of the Mumbai Indians, also reflected on Rohit’s trophy-laden tenure as captain.
Related Articles
Ashish Nehra highlights ‘tricky’ situation for Team India selectors ahead of T20 World Cup
Hardik Pandya undergoing 18-week high-performance programme with long-term vision: Report
“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.
“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.
“We welcome Hardik Pandya as the new captain of MI and wish him all the very best,” the Sri Lankan added.
Pandya had recently been traded from the Gujarat Titans, where he spent two seasons as captain, in a blockbuster move on 27 November, a day after the franchises announced their list of retained and released. Mumbai paid Rs 15 crore in an all cash deal for Pandya and traded Australian seam-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green to Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 17.5 crore in order to make room for the latest arrival.
The trade, one of the biggest talking points across cricket in recent weeks, was seen as MI’s attempt at bringing in a worthy successor to captain Rohit, who at the age of 36 is in the twilight of his playing career.