After leading Mumbai Indians for 10 years, Rohit Sharma is no longer the captain as Hardik Pandya will take over from IPL 2024. This was expected as Hardik Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians after winning the IPL with Gujarat Titans for two years.
Hardik Pandya, who won the IPL with Gujarat Titans in 2022, was traded back to Mumbai Indians last month after two years. Now, he’s taking on a new role by becoming the captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma, who, along with MS Dhoni, has the most IPL titles (five) for his team. The notable difference is that Rohit achieved this in 10 seasons, while MSD did it in 12.
Rohit Sharma Contribution To Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma became the captain of Mumbai Indians in the middle of IPL 2013, leading them to their first title by beating Chennai Super Kings in the final. In IPL history, Rohit is the fourth-highest run-scorer, with 6211 runs, and 3986 of those came when he was the captain. He has a good strike rate of 129.37 in 157 innings, with 25 fifties. Among IPL captains, only Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni have scored more runs than Rohit.
Ro,
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) December 15, 2023
In 2013 you took over as captain of MI. You asked us to 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞. In victories & defeats, you asked us to 𝘚𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦. 10 years & 6 trophies later, here we are. Our 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧, your legacy will be etched in Blue & Gold. Thank you, 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐎💙 pic.twitter.com/KDIPCkIVop
The new captain, Hardik Pandya, joined Mumbai Indians in 2015 as an uncapped player for INR 10 lakh. He has contributed significantly with both bat and ball, scoring 1476 runs and taking 42 wickets. Hardik played a key role in Mumbai Indians winning the IPL titles in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
From April 24, 2013, when Ricky Ponting stepped down as the captain of Mumbai Indians, until 2023, Rohit Sharma led the team to 87 victories in 158 IPL matches. This makes him the captain with the most wins during this period, surpassing Dhoni who is in second place with 82 wins.
Additionally, Rohit has the most victories as a captain in IPL playoff games, including finals, with 10 wins in 13 such matches. This is one more win than Dhoni who has 9 out of 15. It’s worth noting that Mumbai Indians never lost an IPL final under Rohit in five out of the 13 instances where they reached the summit clash.
Why Did Mumbai Indians Decided To Remove Rohit Sharma As A Captain?
In recent years, Rohit Sharma, despite being a top batsman for India in various formats, hasn’t performed as well in T20 cricket, especially in the IPL. His batting numbers for Mumbai Indians reflect a decline: he scored 332 runs in 16 matches with an average of 20.75 in 2023, 268 runs in 14 matches with an average of 19.14 in 2022, and 381 runs in 13 matches with an average of 29.30 in 2021.
Notably, the last time Rohit averaged above 30 in the IPL was in 2016, and he has only had a strike rate above 140 in the 2015 season. While Mumbai Indians’ success and Rohit’s captaincy helped mask his batting form’s impact on the team, their failure to win the trophy in the last three years highlighted the issue. With Rohit stepping down as captain in 2024, Mumbai Indians are optimistic that he can rediscover his top form without the added responsibility.
What Did MI Coach Jayawardene Said?
“We want to thank Rohit Sharma for his outstanding leadership. Since 2013, he has been an amazing captain for the Mumbai Indians. His leadership not only led to great success for the team but also established him as one of the best captains in IPL history,” Jayawardene mentioned.
How Followers Of Mumbai Indians On Platform X Decreases?
Mumbai Indians lost 400k followers in just 1 hour. That's the Power of Captain Rohit Sharma 🦁#RohitSharma𓃵 | #MumbaiIndians | #HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/isB0mLyYCo
— Immy|| 🇮🇳 (@TotallyImro45) December 15, 2023
Who Will Be Captain Of India In T20 World Cup?
Hardik Pandya becoming the new captain of Mumbai Indians raises questions about Rohit Sharma’s potential plans to lead Team India in the 2024 T20 World Cup, set to take place just after the IPL in June 2024. Although Rohit hasn’t officially stated his intentions, his choice to skip the white-ball format during the South Africa series suggests that he is contemplating his future in shorter formats of cricket.
According to reports, the BCCI has approached Rohit Sharma to lead India in the T20 World Cup 2024. However, Rohit has not disclosed his decision yet, and the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan might offer more insight into his thoughts. In case Rohit doesn’t take the lead, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya are seen as strong contenders for the captain’s role. Additionally, Suryakumar Yadav has showcased impressive leadership skills, particularly in the T20 format.
Also Read: HARDIK PANDYA RETURN DATE AND IMPACT ON TEAM INDIA’S LINEUP
