But before forming your own opinion, let’s look at the events leading up to this decision. We will also discuss MI’s captaincy history and how the team has performed under each captain.

A Brief History of MI’s Captaincy Sage

When it comes to the reason behind Mumbai Indians’ (MI) remarkable journey in the IPL, all thanks to their exceptional captains. Let’s look at their leadership over the years:

• Sachin Tendulkar (2008–2012)

As a franchise, it was the golden chance for MI to kick-start their IPL journey under the God of Cricket. Sachin led MI for five seasons from 2008 to 2012. Although they didn’t win any IPL titles during his tenure, Tendulkar’s leadership laid the groundwork for future success. Under his guidance, the team made their first playoff appearance in 2010. And Sachin himself made various records during his tenure in the IPL like the first-ever Indian to win the Orange Cap.

• Ricky Ponting (2013)

After Sachin Tendulkar, it was no other than the Australian cricket legend, Ricky Ponting who took charge in 2013. However, he had to resign midway through the season due to a dip in his batting form. Nonetheless, his brief tenure influenced the team’s strategy for that year.

• Rohit Sharma (2013–2023)

The real turning point in MI’s captaincy came when Rohit Sharma took over midway through the 2013 season. Since then, Sharma has been pivotal in transforming MI into a dominant force in the league. Under his captaincy, MI clinched an unprecedented five IPL titles (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020) and won the Champions League Twenty20 title in 2013.

Including this, there are various other interesting records that MI and Rohit set that made them one of the most successful franchises in IPL history. Sharma’s aggressive leadership style and his formidable batting skills have been instrumental in MI’s success.

Along with the above, there were a few other prominent players who have led MI in IPL for a shorter period. Some of them are Harbhajan Singh, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Shaun Pollock, and Suryakumar Yadav. After such a successful tenure, however this year’s IPL season, Hardik Pandya has replaced Rohit as the new captain of MI and so far, the results have not been what the team has anticipated.

The Big Controversy….

Now that we have discussed the past captains and their achievements, let’s now directly jump onto our real topic, Hardik Pandya as the new Captain of MI, is it the right decision or the biggest blunder?

In December 2023, there was a surprising announcement from the MI cricket team. They revealed plans to replace Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya as their captain. This news shocked many cricket fans because Hardik had been the captain of Gujarat Titans until the previous season. During his time as captain, Hardik led the team to victory in the IPL 2022, their first season, and they were the runners-up in 2023, losing to CSK in the finals. This demonstrates Hardik’s leadership abilities. Despite these successes, Hardik rejoined his original team, MI, in 2024. As a result, Shubman Gill was appointed as the new captain of GT.

Mumbai Indians’ decision stirred up a lot of trolling from fans on social media. There were rumours that Hardik demanded to be made team captain before he would rejoin. The team management agreed to his conditions, and they traded him back to MI from GT in a cash-only deal. Reports indicate that Rohit Sharma was briefed about this change through several meetings. As a result, he became willing to play under Hardik’s captaincy in the upcoming seasons.

MI’s IPL 17 campaign has been disappointing, with the team losing all three matches played so far. The first match against GT resulted in a 6-run loss, followed by defeats to SRH and RR. Pandya’s leadership has come under scrutiny, leading to dissatisfaction among MI fans, who have resorted to booing during matches. This disapproval began during the first match at Narendra Modi Stadium, where GT fans booed Hardik during the toss, and it persisted in subsequent matches. Apart from this, there were many instances between Hardik and other MI players and management members which clearly shows all is not well behind the curtain as well.

Statements Made by Various Ex-Indian Players

• Irfan Pathan

Not only fans but several former Indian players, including Irfan Pathan, have also commented on Hardik Pandya’s captaincy. Pathan specifically criticized Pandya’s strategies and tactics in bowling and fielding. He also took to X (Twitter) to suggest that Pandya could lose the respect of his teammates if he doesn’t assert himself firmly as a captain.

• Harbhajan Singh

Unlike Irfan, Harbhajan Singh, who used to lead Mumbai Indians (MI), expressed his backing for Hardik Pandya. He mentioned on Star Sports that the team’s current dynamics don’t look good, and it seems like the captain is feeling isolated. He emphasized the importance of all players supporting Hardik. The decision has been taken, and it’s crucial for the team to stand united. He also said as an ex-player of MI, the current situation worries him.

• Navjot Singh Sidhu

Joining the discussion, former Indian player Navjot Singh Sidhu expressed his opinion that if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had appointed Rohit Sharma as captain for the T20 World Cup in October, the franchise wouldn’t have selected Hardik Pandya as captain. It boils down to the respect the franchise holds for the BCCI’s decision-making. Therefore, the key concern here lies in the timing.

When asked about his reaction to fans booing Pandya, he said fans of MI are finding it hard to accept that India’s hero and captain, Rohit is not leading their team. They’re wondering what he did wrong and what can be done now. But the truth is, success speaks for itself. If Pandya had won those two matches, there wouldn’t have been any complaints.

What Lies Ahead…

Amid ongoing discussions, there’s a key question on how the team can enhance their performance and whether Rohit Sharma could potentially replace Hardik Pandya as the captain. Former Indian cricketer Monaj Tiwari suggested this possibility in an interview with Cricbuzz. Such decisions are crucial as franchise owners are known for making tough choices in team management.

However, it remains to be seen what decisions the team management will make in the future. It’s important to recognize that decisions are not always aligned with our preferences but are made with future considerations. Let’s remain optimistic that the Mumbai Indians bounce back strongly and begin their winning streak anew.

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