Hardik Pandya was appointed the Mumbai Indians skipper ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season on Friday. It meant the end of Rohit Sharma’s ten-year tenure as MI skipper. During his time as skipper, Rohit guided the franchise to five IPL trophies. Pandya rejoined the MI side as part of a sensational trade move from Gujarat Titans. The all-rounder was the GT captain for the past two years and he won the title with the franchise back in 2022.
Commenting on this transition Mahela Jayawardene, Global Head of Performance, Mumbai Indians said – “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 to Harbhajan 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.”
“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.”
In 31 matches for GT from 2022-23, Pandya scored 833 runs at an average of 37.86 and a strike rate of over 133, with six half-centuries and a best score of 87*. He also had 11 wickets for the team, with the best figures of 3/17.
Pandya also played 92 matches for MI from 2015-2021, scoring 1,476 runs at an average of 27.33 at a strike rate of over 153, with four half-centuries and best score of 91. He also took 42 wickets for the team, with the best bowling figures of 3/20.
Pandya has won five IPL trophies, four with MI (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020) and GT (2022).
(With ANI inputs)
