Irfan Pathan, the former Indian cricketer, hailed Rohit Sharma’s captaincy legacy with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Pathan drew a parallel, stating that Rohit holds a similar stature for MI as MS Dhoni does for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Rohit Sharma’s tenure as the captain of Mumbai Indians (MI) concluded with the franchise unveiling Hardik Pandya as the new leader on Friday, December 15. This move surprised many as it wasn’t anticipated that Rohit would step down so soon.
Taking over as captain in 2013 from Ricky Ponting, Rohit Sharma demonstrated exceptional leadership skills. In his inaugural season, he showcased his prowess by guiding Mumbai Indians to a title victory. The decision to transition leadership marks the end of Rohit Sharma’s impactful captaincy era with the franchise.
Rohit Sharma’s entry into IPL leadership was marked by remarkable success, steering Mumbai Indians to title victories in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. He played a pivotal role in making Mumbai Indians the most successful team in the league until Chennai Super Kings matched their record with a fifth title in 2023.
The decision to remove Rohit Sharma as the captain of Mumbai Indians elicited strong emotional reactions from fans. Despite the disappointment surrounding the change, many admirers took a moment to commend Rohit for the extraordinary legacy he crafted over his decade-long captaincy tenure with the team. His impact on the franchise, marked by multiple championships and sustained excellence, left an indelible mark on the history of the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Irfan Pathan Compared Rohit Sharma To MS Dhoni
Irfan Pathan did not hesitate to praise Rohit Sharma’s leadership, emphasizing the effort and dedication he invested in building the team. Pathan Rohit Sharma’s resilience and strategic acumen as a captain, acknowledging his ability to overcome challenges despite missing key players and successfully guiding the team to the qualifiers in the last season. Pathan explained:
“Rohit Sharma has a huge stature in the team. For me, Rohit Sharma’s stature in Mumbai Indians is similar to that of Dhoni’s stature in CSK. Rohit Sharma has built the team with blood and sweat as captain, he has contributed a lot, always involved in the team meeting.“
He added: “He is an amazing captain, a bowlers’ captain. Last year, despite (Jofra) Archer’s form and (Jasprit) Bumrah not being there, Rohit still had a great IPL season as a captain.”
Hardik Pandya brings significant leadership experience in the IPL, having led the Gujarat Titans to an IPL victory in 2022 and guiding them to the final in the subsequent year. However, taking charge at Mumbai Indians comes with added pressure and expectations, particularly following the remarkable achievements of his predecessor, Rohit Sharma. Pandya will need to navigate the challenges and live up to the high standards set by Rohit Sharma during his illustrious tenure as the Mumbai Indians’ captain.
Further, Irfan Pathan expressed his view that captaining the team, especially with players like Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rohit Sharma, presents a challenging task for Hardik Pandya. Pathan emphasized that the outcome will now hinge on how the team management handles the players’ well-being.
“Now, with SKY, Bumrah and Rohit being there, who have performed leadership roles at the International level, it will be a challenge for Hardik. The result lies in management for MI and Hardik. It won’t be easy for Hardik.”
