Sunil Gavaskar praised Mumbai Indians’ decision to appoint Hardik Pandya as captain, emphasizing the team’s forward-thinking approach, despite backlash over replacing Rohit Sharma.
Sunil Gavaskar commended Mumbai Indians’ forward-looking strategy in appointing Hardik Pandya as captain, highlighting the franchise’s focus on the team’s future. Despite fan backlash over replacing Rohit Sharma, who led them to five IPL titles, Gavaskar emphasized the logic behind the decision, considering Rohit’s age and the pressure of leading India across all formats.
By entrusting leadership to the younger Pandya, Mumbai Indians aim to alleviate Rohit’s burden and groom a new captain for the long term. Hardik achieved remarkable success with the Gujarat Titans, leading them to consecutive IPL finals and securing the championship in 2022.
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“Look they have always thought about the future of the franchise. Rohit Sharma is already 36 years old and also faces immense pressure being the captain of India for all three formats. They have tried to reduce some of that burden and give that responsibility on the young shoulders of Hardik Pandya,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Gavaskar also believes that relieving Rohit Sharma of the captaincy pressure could unleash his batting prowess at the top of the order for Mumbai Indians.
“Handing Hardik the captaincy is only going to benefit the Mumbai Indians. They have now given the freedom to Rohit to go and express himself freely at the top of the order. Hardik can then come at No.3 or No.5 and help them post totals of 200-plus consistently,” Gavaskar added.
On a different note, MI head coach Mark Boucher recently explained the captaincy change on a podcast, though Rohit’s wife Ritika Sajdeh’s comment on an Instagram video hints at potential discord between Rohit and the Mumbai Indians.
READ MORE | Controversy Erupts: Ritika Sajdeh Calls Out Mark Boucher’s Explanation for Mumbai Indians’ Captaincy Change
Last Updated on February 13, 2024
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