Yuvraj Singh on Mumbai Indians’ Captaincy Change: Rohit Sharma’s Legacy Deserves Respect

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March 14, 2024 0 840

Yuvraj Singh believes Mumbai Indians’ decision to replace Rohit Sharma as captain with Hardik Pandya in IPL 2024 is significant, suggesting Rohit should have been retained for another season.

As the highly anticipated 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) approaches, eyes are on the Mumbai Indians, five-time champions and fan favorites for the title. However, this year brings a significant change as all-rounder Hardik Pandya steps into the captaincy role, replacing Rohit Sharma.

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Pandya’s appointment sparked controversy, prompting reflections from former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj expressed his belief that Rohit should have retained the captaincy for another year, with Pandya as his deputy. Despite understanding Mumbai’s focus on the future, Yuvraj emphasized the weight of the decision to remove a successful five-time IPL-winning captain like Rohit.

“Rohit Sharma is a 5-time IPL winner as a captain. Removing him is a big decision. I would have gotten someone in, like they brought Hardik (Pandya), but I still would have given Rohit one more season and let Hardik be the vice-captain and see how the whole franchise works,” Yuvraj told Star Sports.

Despite this, Yuvraj praised Hardik for his stellar performance with the Gujarat Titans, leading them to victory in 2022 and reaching the final in 2023. While understanding the franchise’s perspective, he emphasized the significance of Rohit’s continued leadership for both India and Mumbai Indians.

The former cricketer also highlighted the transition Pandya faces from leading Gujarat to captaining the formidable Mumbai Indians, underscoring the heightened expectations associated with the role.

“In terms of talent, yes, he has great talent. Being captain of Gujarat will be different from being captain of Mumbai. Expectations are a lot. Mumbai Indians have been a big side,” Yuvraj concluded.