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Rohit Sharma was informed by the Mumbai Indians (MI) about Hardik Pandya's return as team's captain for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). On December 15, MI announced Hardik Pandya as their new captain right ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. As per the sources privy to the development, Hardik Pandya gave his consent to the move from Gujarat Titans (GT) to MI on the condition that he would be appointed as the franchise's captain.
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As per an Indian Express' report, it has been learnt that, around the start of the ODI World Cup 2023, Rohit was briefed on the franchise's future plans, which included a change in leadership. After a series of discussions, he concurred with the decision to appoint Pandya as captain for the next season and agreed to play under his leadership.
Pandya's return to MI from GT was facilitated through a trade. It was understood that Pandya had expressed to MI's management that he would only rejoin the team if he were to be named captain. Following internal consultations, the franchise agreed to Pandya's condition. This decision was later communicated to Rohit during the World Cup. By that time, Sharma had left the decision regarding the team's future in the hands of the franchise.
In a press release on Friday, December 15, the franchise’s global head of performance Mahela Jayawardene stated, “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.”
“We express our gratitude to Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership; his tenure as the captain of the Mumbai Indians since 2013 has been nothing short of extraordinary. His leadership has not only brought unparalleled success to the team but has also solidified his place as one of the finest captains in the history of the IPL,” the release further read.
After a lacklustre start to IPL 2013 under Ricky Ponting's captaincy, MI made a strategic shift by appointing Rohit Sharma as their new skipper. This move paid off spectacularly, leading to their first-ever league title. Under Rohit's captaincy, the team has since clinched five titles, matching MS Dhoni's record for the most titles won by a captain.
Hardik, who had previously moved from MI to the newly formed Gujarat Titans, achieved remarkable success by leading his team to title glory in their inaugural season in IPL 2022. In the subsequent season, Pandya's team reached the final but were defeated by Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Pandya's return to Mumbai Indians was a major talking point during the player trading window before the IPL 2024 auction. To make room for the Indian all-rounder, MI traded Australian player Cameron Green to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
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