Mumbai: In a surprising move, Mumbai Indians have announced that Hardik Pandya will be their new captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL 2024) season. Pandya, who rejoined Mumbai Indians after a brief stint with Gujarat Titans, will take over the leadership role from Rohit Sharma, who has led the franchise to five IPL titles.
The decision was made official by Mumbai Indians in a press release on Friday, which stated that the change was mutually agreed upon by both Sharma and Pandya. The release also praised Sharma for his outstanding contribution to the team and expressed confidence in Pandya’s abilities to lead the team to new heights.
Pandya, who is one of the most explosive all-rounders in world cricket, had left Mumbai Indians after the IPL 2023 season to join Gujarat Titans as their marquee player. However, he had a disappointing season with the Titans, who finished at the bottom of the table. Pandya then decided to return to his home team Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2024 auction, where he was bought for a whopping Rs. 16 crore.
Pandya’s appointment as the captain of Mumbai Indians has raised a lot of expectations among the fans and the cricket experts, who are curious to see how he will handle the pressure and the responsibility of leading one of the most successful teams in IPL history. Pandya will also have to fill the big shoes of Sharma, who is widely regarded as one of the best captains in the T20 format.
The IPL 2024 season is scheduled to start on April 1, 2024, and Mumbai Indians will be aiming to win their sixth IPL trophy under Pandya’s captaincy.
