In a surprising twist, Mumbai Indians announced Hardik Pandya as their new skipper ahead of IPL 2024, thus bringing an end to the successful 10-year reign of Rohit Sharma as MI captain. However, former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra opines that all-rounder Hardik Pandya is still evolving into a refined captain. Thus, implying that Mumbai Indians will need to offer substantial guidance to shape Hardik into a seasoned leader for the team.
I don’t think Hardik, as a captain, is a finished product yet.” said Chopra on JioCinema’s daily sports show ‘#AAKASHVANI’.
Akaash Chopra opens on MI Captaincy change from Hardik Pandya to Rohit Sharma:
Following an impressive trade from the Gujrat Titans, Hardik Pandya returned to the Mumbai Indians and was subsequently appointed as the captain. However, revelations indicate that the all-rounder had indeed presented captaincy as a crucial condition for making the move.
Although labelled as a ‘betrayal’ by faithfuls, emerging reports suggest that Rohit Sharma was well-informed about the change in MI captaincy. Displaying his team spirit, Sharma entrusted the franchise to determine the optimal path forward.
“It’s my understanding and not some inside news. When Hardik (Pandya) decided to move from Gujarat, captaincy may have been a part of the deal. This decision would have been definitely communicated to Rohit Sharma as well. Rohit would have also been briefed about Mumbai Indians’ future plans,” added Chopra.
Akaash Chopra on Hardik Pandya’s record as GT Captain:
Despite showing a lot of promise and learning from Ashish Nehra, Akaash Chopra feels Hardik Pandya is still a work in progress as a leader. Hardik guided Gujarat Titans to IPL 2022 success, clinching the trophy in their inaugural season.
He was also given ‘Player of the Match’ in the final versus Rajasthan Royals at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. Gujarat reached the IPL final for the second straight season under Hardik’s leadership in 2023, but finished second to the Chennai Super Kings. Notably, under Hardik’s guidance, Gujarat won the points table during the league stage in both the IPL 2022 and 2023 seasons.
“I feel Ashish Nehra had a tremendous role in making Hardik the captain he was at Gujarat Titans. So Mumbai’s job is cut out. They have to provide inputs at a different level for Hardik to replicate them on the field, because I don’t think Hardik, as a captain, is a finished product yet.”
Rohit Sharma’s stellar campaign as MI Captain:
Rohit Sharma guided Mumbai to triumph in five IPL seasons – 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. Over his captaincy tenure, Rohit captained the team in 158 IPL matches, securing victory in 87 games, experiencing defeat in 67 matches, and encountering four ties. Notably, his win percentage stands at 55.06. Chopra articulates the emotion that this signifies the end of an era as Mumbai Indians now pivot their focus towards the future.
“Rohit is a legend. It’s an end of an era. He led the team for 10 years and won five IPL titles. He worked a lot for this and also earned a lot of fame. But there comes a time when you start thinking about the future. To be fair, the last two years have been average for MI, considering the high standards they have set for themselves.”
“While it’s extremely important to give someone a chance at the right time, it’s even more critical to decide when to let go of someone. There has been talk on social media that Rohit should have been allowed to leave on his own terms or may be allowed to lead MI in one match before Hardik was asked to take over. I personally don’t subscribe to it. There is no one bigger than a team,” he concluded.
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