Following a stellar move from Gujarat Titans, Hardik Pandya has been named as the Mumbai Indians captain ahead of the IPL 2024. The all-rounder will replace Rohit Sharma as the skipper after 10 years of an incredible run.
Being at the helm of the most successful team in the history of the Indian Premier League will be no easy task. Pandya will have big shoes to fill assuming the new role as he gears up for the most popular cricket event on the planet. While Hardik Pandya & co gear up to reclaim the trophy, let us take a look at the Captains who have led the MI ship until now.
Sachin Tendulkar (2008-2011)
In the 2008 IPL season, Sachin Tendulkar was appointed as the first captain of Mumbai Indians (MI). Despite having a roster with some of the most talented players, the team struggled to find its rhythm and ended up at the bottom of the points table. Despite this setback, the team displayed improvement in 2009, securing the sixth position. The real breakthrough occurred in 2010 when Mumbai Indians found their stride, winning their first five games and reaching the playoffs for the first time under Tendulkar.
Under Tendulkar’s captaincy, key players like Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, and Ambati Rayudu played pivotal roles.
In his third season, Mumbai Indians did well in the league stage to secure top spot in the points table. Sachin Tendulkar dominated the batting statistics. However, their playoff journey ended in defeat against CSK, who went on to win their second title.
Harbhajan Singh (2008-2012)
With Sachin Tendulkar resting more often, Harbhajan Singh took the leadership charge in his absence. He later succeeded him as the captain in 2011. However, leading the team through the 2012 IPL Eliminator, Harbhajan Singh passed on the band before leading MI to their first trophy (Champions League Twenty20).
Ricky Ponting (2013)
In the 2013 IPL auction, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was roped in Mumbai India for INR 2.12 crore. Despite initial speculations about Tendulkar’s return as captain, Ponting assumed leadership, becoming MI’s fifth captain. His tenure was brief, stepping down midway in the 2013 season after guiding the team to three wins and as many losses.
Rohit Sharma ( 2013-2023)
The turning point in MI’s stride came in 2013 when Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy from Ponting. Sharma’s leadership immediately bore fruit as Mumbai Indians clinched their maiden IPL title by defeating CSK.
While Harbhajan Singh had previously captained Mumbai Indians to their first-ever title in the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) in 2011, it was under Rohit Sharma’s leadership that they secured their second. Remarkably, Mumbai Indians achieved another milestone by becoming the first team to lift the CLT20 trophy for the second time.
Under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, Mumbai Indians continued their success, winning trophies in 2015 and 2017. In 2019, they secured their fourth title, making them the first team with three IPL titles. The winning streak persisted in 2020, a challenging year globally, as Mumbai Indians, led by Rohit Sharma, secured their fifth title. Thus establishing themselves as the most successful team in IPL history.
Mumbai Indians’ recent performance in the last three seasons has seen a downturn in success. They faced disappointment by failing to make the playoffs in both 2021 and 2022. In the 2023 edition, their journey came to an end with a loss to the Titans in the second Qualifier. Filling in for Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav briefly took over the captaincy for one day during IPL 2023. However, it remains to be seen if Hardik Pandya can rightfully emulate the success of Sharma going into IPL 2024.
List of Mumbai Indians’ Captains and their performance at a glance:
- Harbhajan Singh – 2008-2012
- Pollock– 2008
- Sachin Tendulkar– 2008-2011
- Dwayne Bravo– 2010
- Ricky Ponting– 2013
- Rohit Sharma– 2013-2023
- Keiron Pollard– 2014-2021
- Suryakumar Yadav– 2023
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