Former India and Mumbai Indians (MI) wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel shared a story about Rohit Sharma advocating for the franchise to keep Jasprit Bumrah despite his poor performance in the 2015 season.
Bumrah had been with MI since 2013, but his displays in the first three seasons, particularly in 2015, were lackluster. The talented pacer managed just three wickets in four matches with an economy rate of over 12 that year.
However, with Rohit’s support, the franchise retained Bumrah, and the decision proved to be wise, leading to significant success for the team. Reflecting on the incident during the Legends Lounge Show on Jio Cinema, Parthiv mentioned:
“Rohit is always with the players and the biggest examples of it are Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. Bumrah joined MI in 2014, but when he played his first season in 2015, it didn’t turn out that well.”
“MI had decided to drop Bumrah midway through the season but Rohit felt this is one solid player and that they should keep him. And you saw how from 2016, Bumrah’s performance reached the next level.”
While Bumrah has been a member of MI’s five title-winning campaigns from 2013 to 2020, his significant impact was evident in their final three victories in 2017, 2019, and 2020. Across these three seasons, the 30-year-old amassed an impressive tally of 66 wickets in 47 matches.
“Likewise for Hardik Pandya”- Parthiv Patel
Parthiv Patel also mentioned how Rohit Sharma supported Hardik Pandya in a similar manner after his struggles in the 2015 and 2016 IPL seasons.
Although the 30-year-old joined MI in 2015, he endured a tough time in 2016, with an average of under seven with the bat and 51 with the ball in 11 matches. However, he transformed into a consistent performer with both bat and ball since 2017.
“Same with Hardik Pandya. When he joined in 2015, he became quite the rage but in 2016 he had a bad season.”
“The thing is when you’re an uncapped player, franchises release you quickly and then assess how a player is performing in Ranji Trophy or other domestic matches before maybe taking them back.”
”But Rohit did not let it happen. That’s why these guys went on to become the players that they did,” said Parthiv.
In an ironic twist, Hardik Pandya is set to take over as the captain of MI for the upcoming 2024 IPL season, stepping into the role previously held by Rohit Sharma.
The influential all-rounder departed MI to lead the Gujarat Titans (GT) for the past two years, guiding them to a title in 2022 and a final appearance last season. Hardik made his return to MI through an all-cash trade deal with GT during the off-season.
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