Hardik Pandya Breaks His Silence About Captaining Rohit Sharma at the Mumbai Indians: “It Won’t be Awkward”

With the selection of Hardik Pandya to replace Rohit Sharma as captain, the Mumbai Indians are ushering in a new era. With as many as five championships won, MI became one of the most successful teams in IPL history under Rohit’s leadership.

Since 2013, Rohit has guided MI in every season until his departure in 2023.

In an all-cash transaction, the Gujarat Titans moved Pandya to MI before the IPL 2024 auction in December, and the all-round player was then designated the team’s captain.

Will it be difficult with the roles reversed for Pandya, who spent the most of his IPL and international career playing under Rohit’s captaincy?

Pandya told reporters at MI’s pre-season media briefing in Mumbai on Monday, “It won’t be any different.” “I’ll simply continue what he started and this team accomplished. I played for him my whole playing career. It won’t be uncomfortable. His hand will be resting on my shoulder.

Pandya said, “He’s been traveling and playing,” when asked whether he has talked to Rohit. It’s been a few months since our last encounter. We will absolutely talk when he arrives.

Pandya, who played his first IPL season with MI, joined the Gujarat Titans before the 2022 season began. In their first season, he led GT to the championship, and the previous year, he led them to yet another final.

The moment I made my Mumbai Indians debut, my whole life changed. Returning seems like a dream. really forward for the season,” Pandya said.

Following an unusual injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup, Pandya spent almost four months out of the game before making his competitive cricket comeback by participating in the DY Patil T20 Cup.

Pandya said in an interview that he had spent more than a year preparing for the World Cup. “It was an odd injury sustained in the game. I would have to miss the remainder of the World Cup if the ailment was reported to last for 25 days. However, I pushed. I informed the supervisors that I would be back in five days. Three different injection sites on my ankle were treated. The swelling in my ankle required me to drain blood. I wanted to provide everything.