Amidst a wave of discontent among Mumbai Indians' faithful, former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu expressed a sentiment resonating with many fans: "What wrong has Rohit done?" This comes as Mumbai Indians' decision to pass the captaincy baton from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season has sparked controversy.
The dissatisfaction towards Pandya's leadership manifested in booing and heckling during Mumbai Indians' recent matches, including the home encounter against Rajasthan Royals at the iconic Wankhede Stadium.
In an exclusive interview on the 'Star Sports Press Room,' Navjot Sidhu delved into the fan uproar, emphasizing their allegiance to Rohit Sharma, a figure synonymous with Indian cricket. "Nobody can digest the fact that India’s hero, India’s captain, is not the captain of our franchise," Sidhu remarked, encapsulating the sentiment of Mumbai Indians' supporters.
Sidhu pointed out the pivotal role of success in shaping perceptions, highlighting that if Pandya had secured victories in recent matches, the discontent would likely have been muted. However, he underscored that the heart of the matter lies in the timing of the announcement regarding India's T20 World Cup captaincy.
"If the BCCI had named Rohit as captain for the T20 World Cup in October, the franchise wouldn’t have chosen Hardik as captain," Sidhu opined, stressing the importance of respect accorded by franchises to national team decisions and its timing.
Mumbai Indians defended the captaincy transition as a strategic move for the future. With Rohit Sharma at 36 years old, the franchise seeks to groom Hardik Pandya, aged 30, for a leadership role. Pandya's track record, including leading Gujarat Titans to an IPL title in 2022 and a runner-up finish in 2023, coupled with his past successes with Mumbai Indians, including five IPL titles, adds weight to the franchise's decision.
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