In a major milestone, the Mumbai Indians (MI) confirmed that Hardik Pandya will succeed Rohit Sharma as captain for the IPL 2024 season. Last month, the five-time winners acquired the ace all-rounder from Gujarat Titans (GT) in an all-cash transaction.
Rohit took over as MI captain in 2013 and guided the franchise to five IPL victories, making it one of the most successful franchises in tournament history. He captained in 158 matches in all, winning 89 and losing 68.
“It is part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready. Mumbai Indians have always been blessed with exceptional leadership right from Sachin (Tendulkar) to Harbhajan (Singh( and Ricky to Rohit, who while contributing to the immediate success have always had an eye on strengthening the team for the future. It is in keeping with this philosophy that Hardik Pandya will assume captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season.”
Mahela Jayawardene
Hardik was cut by the Mumbai Indians two seasons ago. During that time, he took over as the Gujarat Titans’ captain, helping the team win the IPL 2022 championship and place second the next season.
Mahela Jayawardene Thanks Rohit Sharma for His Leadership, Congratulates Hardik Pandya on MI Captaincy
Jayawardene also hailed Rohit Sharma for his leadership, calling him “one of the finest captains” in the IPL. The Sri Lankan icon also welcomed Hardik back and wished him luck in his leadership attempt.
“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. We welcome Hardik Pandya as the new captain of MI and wish him all the very best.”
Mahela Jayawardene
Hardik is also expected to succeed Rohit as full-time skipper of India’s T20I team if the latter decides to retire.
