Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh believes that only passage of time will decide if the association between Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma as players of defeating team Mumbai Indians will be fruitful.
In possibly the most dramatic IPL off-season, MI acquired Hardik from the Gujarat Titans and later appointed him captain. In the IPL 2024, the talismanic all-rounder will take over from long-time captain Rohit Sharma.
Harbhajan spoke on the Rohit-Hardik dynamic in an interview. He said:
“Only time will tell. Who will be comfortable or who will not? Mumbai Indians have been a soild and formidable franchise in IPL. I am sure they would love to leave the controversies behind and pave the way for the future.”
Harbhajan Singh
From 2013 to 2023, Rohit Sharma was MI’s captain and led the team to five trophies.
Hardik has showcased his leadership abilities over two IPL seasons. Under his guidance, GT achieved remarkable success. They triumphed as champions in their debut year, 2022. The following year, 2023, they reached the final, finishing as runners-up.
“Rohit Sharma is a human being the entire dressing room loves” – Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh described Rohit Sharma as someone who all the players in the dressing room like having around, and believes the veteran cricketer has created the groundwork for a youthful Indian squad.
From 2013 to 2017, the former off-spinner played for Rohit in the IPL, helping MI win three of their five titles.
“Rohit Sharma is a human being the entire dressing room loves. The foundation of this young Indian team has been laid by Rohit Sharma. Virat Kohli wasn’t part of the (England) series. In the absence of a stalwart like him, the way the youngsters have performed is just amazing and commendable.”
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh added:
“This shows there is no dearth of talent in our youngsters. All they need is a platform. They needed a hand on their shoulders and Rohit played that big role very very well. He was a captain and a big brother to these youngsters in the series. He conveyed a message to them – ‘mai aapke saath hun, aap wo kariye jo aapko aata hai’ (I am with you, do what you know).”
Harbhajan Singh
Rohit guided India excellently to a 4-1 triumph over England. Missing were key stars – Kohli, Rahul, Jadeja, Bumrah – but he led impressively despite their absences at different points.
The win propelled India to the top of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) standings.
