Sunil Gavaskar, the iconic Indian cricketer, opines that the Mumbai Indians stand to gain from the change in leadership, indicating that it will afford Rohit Sharma greater freedom in the upcoming IPL 2024 season. Hardik Pandya’s notable move from the Gujarat Titans to MI ahead of the season marked the end of Rohit’s decade-long captaincy reign.
While there has been widespread discussion surrounding this decision, Gavaskar observes that Rohit has had a hectic schedule with the Cricket World Cup campaign, and entrusting the captaincy to Hardik will allow Rohit to focus more on his own performance. Additionally, Gavaskar emphasizes the value of having an experienced leader like Rohit supporting Hardik throughout the season, suggesting that it could prove to be immensely beneficial for the Mumbai Indians.
Gavaskar said: “To allow Rohit to play purely as a batter… it has been a busy season for him, first the World Cup, and now this series. This will give him the freedom to play without worrying about other players. My feeling is that it will work very well for Mumbai Indians. For Hardik to have someone like Rohit to turn to would be invaluable. Hardik will enjoy having Rohit as ‘captain”
Furthermore, Gavaskar highlights the potential emergence of wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel, who represents the Rajasthan Royals, as a standout performer in the IPL. Despite being only in his second Test appearance, Jurel showcased his prowess by earning the Man of the Match accolade for his impressive batting contributions of 90 and an unbeaten 39 in India’s decisive five-wicket victory over England, securing the series win. Gavaskar’s endorsement underscores the promising talent and potential impact Jurel could bring to the IPL stage.
Gavaskar concluded by saying: “He could be promoted up the order. Jurel could be the superstar after this performance in the Test matches. Even Akash Deep could get more exposure in RCB and play the role of the death over specialist which they were missing last season.”
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