After Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as the new Mumbai Indians captain, the fans of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise are wishing Rohit Sharma could become their new opener and join hands with KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir.
One fan even said that had the news of Hardik Pandya’s trade to MI and the all-rounder becoming the new MI skipper been finalized before the retention deadline day, then Gautam Gambhir perhaps would have wanted to trade Sharma to KKR.
Gautam Gambhir is someone who has often praised Rohit for his attacking, selfless batting – which is required in modern white-ball cricket – and his incredible captaincy on the field and leadership in the dressing room.
In a not entirely unexpected move, Mumbai Indians appointed Hardik Pandya as their new skipper, something which had felt inevitable from the moment Hardik was traded to MI last month.
While Hardik Pandya leading the Mumbai Indians was inevitable – Rohit is already 36 years old – fans had expected that Rohit would captain MI for at least one more season. So this move, just four days out from the IPL 2024 auction caused ripples among the MI fans.
KKR fans, too, got excited and wondered if there was a small chance that KKR could trade in Rohit Sharma – the trading window is open till one month before the start of the IPL 2024 season.
Check out some of KKR fans’ reaction to Rohit Sharma being replaced as MI captain:
Why did Mumbai Indians sack Rohit Sharma?
It seems that Hardik Pandya had already demanded the Mumbai Indians (MI) captaincy before agreeing to the trade of leaving the Gujarat Titans. Mahela Jayawardene said that this decision is “part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready”.
Mahela Jayawardene, the Global Head of Performance of Mumbai Indians, said, “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.”
