Five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians lost 400,000 Twitter followers within an hour of announcing Hardik Pandya as their new captain for the Indian Premier League 2024 season. The Indian all-rounder was chosen as the team’s new captain on December 15, who will take over the baton from the legendary Rohit Sharma.
Mumbai Indians acquired Rohit Sharma in an auction ahead of the 2011 IPL season, and he has remained with the team to this day. He captained the team from 2013 to 2023, leading them to five IPL titles. The change in leadership comes eleven years after Rohit Sharma was elected MI captain in 2013.
Mumbai Indians Fans were outraged by the decision to sack Rohit Sharma, which saw Hardik Pandya take over as captain, and the team’s social media handles saw a huge drop in numbers. This abrupt shift has sparked outrage among fans, with many ranting on social media.
Mumbai Indians won the IPL for the first time under the captaincy of homeboy Rohit Sharma in 2013. They went on to win the championship four more times in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. Mumbai Indians, together with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), are the joint most successful franchise in the IPL, with five trophies each.
“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,” Mahela Jayawardene said in a statement.
Rohit Sharma is also Mumbai Indians’ all-time leading run-scorer. In 203 innings, he has scored 5314 runs at an average of 29.52 with a strike rate of 129.76 and a total of 135 50s.
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya debuted for MI in the 2015 edition, led by Rohit Sharma. He was fast-tracked to the Indian team due to his explosive cameos with the bat and ability to bowl correctly at a fast-medium speed. He gained confidence with each passing year and eventually became a match-winner for both MI and India.
The 30-year-old was named as the skipper of Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2022 and won the championship for the team’s inaugural season leading them to the final in the second season before making his way back to Mumbai Indians for the 2024 season. He has been impressive for the country with both bat and ball and could be a potential leader for India in the white-ball format of the game.
