In a strategic move, the Mumbai Indians have named Hardik Pandya as their captain for the upcoming IPL 2024 season. This announcement comes in the wake of Pandya’s return to the team from the Gujarat Titans, replacing Rohit Sharma, who has been at the helm since the 2013 season.
To new beginnings. Good luck, #CaptainPandya 💙 pic.twitter.com/qRH9ABz1PY
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) December 15, 2023
Pandya, who departed Mumbai Indians for Gujarat, captained the new franchise to a debut IPL title. Despite reaching the final this year, they fell short against the Chennai Super Kings.
“The feeling of coming back to Mumbai is very special for a lot of reasons. How my cricketing journey started in 2015 with MI, them noticing me in 2013,” Pandya had said on his return to his first IPL franchise. “When I look back, the whole span of 10 years has been something very special. It has not sunk in yet that I’m finally back where my whole cricketing journey started. I have achieved all the possible things.”
Mahela Jayawardene, the franchise’s global head of performance, shed light on the decision in a press release issued on Friday, stating, “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 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 the captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season.”
Expressing gratitude to Rohit Sharma, the release further mentioned, “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.”
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Rohit Sharma’s captaincy saw Mumbai Indians clinch titles in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. Notably, the team made it to the playoffs in IPL 2023.
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) December 15, 2023
This announcement marks the conclusion of the legendary Rohit Sharma’s captaincy era. With a commendable record of 158 matches, 87 victories, 67 losses, and 4 tied games, Rohit Sharma embarked on his leadership journey when Mumbai Indians had zero IPL titles. Now, as he steps down as captain, the team boasts an impressive tally of five titles under his guidance.
