Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, gearing up for his commentary stint in the upcoming IPL season, shared his views on Hardik Pandya taking over as the captain of Mumbai Indians from Rohit Sharma. Speaking to India Today, Sidhu stressed the inevitable change and expressed confidence that Rohit would relish his break from captaincy duties.
Navjot Singh Sidhu Made A Bold Statement On Mumbai Indians’s Captaincy Change
Sidhu believes Rohit Sharma won’t be bothered by being replaced as the MI captain in IPL 2024, especially by someone like Hardik Pandya, whose career was significantly aided by Rohit’s support. Rohit played a pivotal role in Pandya’s cricketing journey, offering him crucial game time with Mumbai Indians in 2015, eventually leading to Pandya’s emergence as an Indian national player.
Navjot Singh Sidhu suggests that Rohit Sharma may feel relieved after stepping down as captain of Mumbai Indians. Using his poetic style, Sidhu compares leadership to a bed of thorns, where some succeed while others struggle.
Sidhu praises Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership both for the Indian team and Mumbai Indians over the years. He believes Rohit will enjoy playing in this IPL season and expects him to perform exceptionally well.
However, Rohit Sharma’s performance in the last two seasons has not met his own high standards. He hasn’t scored over 400 runs since the 2019 season when he scored 405 runs. Despite not being the captain, Sidhu mentions that Rohit will still have influence, and Hardik Pandya may seek his advice. Speaking on India Today, Navjot Singh Sidhu said:
“One thing is certain. If you are not a captain, it releases so much pressure from the back of your mind. Look, any captaincy, any leadership role is a bed of thorns, whether you accept it or not. Some have enjoyed it, some have taken it as a burden,”
He added: “Rohit Sharma is a successful and iconic Indian captain. To not be captain in the IPL and pass on the baton to someone and enjoy cricket, I am sure that Hardik Pandya would run to him, time and again, and consult. A conversation with a wise man is worth months of education,”
“This is not about Rohit Sharma going down a few notches. This is about old order changes, yielding place to new. It has happened always, right? Whether it was Ian Chappel, Greg Chappel, Sunil Gavaskar or Tendulkar, a time comes when everybody has to go.”
“I feel that he has a lot more years to play, Rohit, if he takes care of his fitness. He is someone close to genius. I have seen him pick balls on the front foot and hit them square for sixes. He has own USP. Nobody can take that away.”
