Certain supporters of Rohit were let down, upset, and disheartened when Mumbai Indians substituted their idol with Hardik Pandya as the captain for the upcoming IPL 2024. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli command the most emotionally invested fanbase among current Indian cricketers, particularly on social media.
This sentiment was prominently evident on Friday when Mumbai Indians named Hardik Pandya as the captain for IPL 2024, leading to disappointment, anger, and heartbreak among some Rohit fans.
The writing was on the wall when MI secured the significant IPL trade of bringing Hardik back from Gujarat Titans, just a day after the retention window closed. The leadership change was officially announced by MI on Friday, four days before the auction, sparking a flurry of activity on social media.
Some supporters of Rohit expressed their discontent with MI’s decision in a negative manner, with videos circulating widely depicting the burning of MI jerseys and caps. You can watch the video here:
https://x.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1735748967894589912?s=46
Rohit Sharma fans set Mumbai Indians jerseys and caps on fire following Hardik Pandya’s captaincy announcement
Mumbai Indians stated that the leadership change was a strategic move for the future, expressing gratitude to Rohit for his outstanding service. They share the record for the most IPL titles (five each) with Chennai Super Kings.
Regarding Hardik’s selection, Mahela Jayawardene, Mumbai Indians’ Global Head of Performance, remarked: “It is part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready.”
“Mumbai Indians have always been blessed with exceptional leadership right from Sachin to Harbhajan and Ricky to Rohit, who while contributing to the immediate success have always had an eye on strengthening the team for the future.”
“It is in keeping with this philosophy that Hardik Pandya will assume captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season.”
Rohit, leading Mumbai Indians since 2013, secured five IPL titles, with the latest in 2020. After guiding India to the ODI World Cup final, the team reached the playoffs in IPL 2023.
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