On Friday, Hardik Pandya was announced as the new Mumbai Indians captain, taking the reins over from Rohit Sharma.
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 fans and even ex-cricketers.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan seems to not be convinced by Rohit Sharma’s sacking and Hardik Pandya’s appointment as the new MI skipper.
Irfan Pathan had previously also taken a jibe at Hardik Pandya when Pandya traded to the Mumbai Indians last month. Pathan’s latest tweet after the announcement by the Mumbai Indians of Hardik replacing Rohit also reeks of a subtle swipe at Pandya, although in this tweet, Pathan praised Rohit.
Irfan Pathan tweeted: “Kitne bhi saal ki purani ye franchise kyon na ho jaae sabse upar naam Rohit Sharma ka rahega. @ImRo45 @mipaltan” This translates to: “No matter how old Mumbai Indians will be, Rohit Sharma’s name will always remain on the top.”
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.”
