A heartwarming moment unfolded on April 6 during the Mumbai Indians' practice session at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. A female and an ardent Rohit Sharma's fan had the chance to meet her cricketing idol. This special encounter took place on the sidelines of the practice session, just ahead of Mumbai's crucial IPL 2024 home game against Delhi Capitals on Sunday afternoon. The upcoming match marks their second home game this season, following a home defeat against Rajasthan Royals.
A video of the interaction quickly gained traction on social media. It captured the young fan, holding a drawing of Rohit Sharma, meeting the star player and respectfully touching his feet. Rohit, demonstrating his gracious nature, readily agreed to sign the artwork, making the day truly unforgettable for this enthusiastic fan.
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Watch the heartwarming moment between Rohit and a little fan
Rohit retains fan loyalty after Mumbai Indians captaincy change
Since stepping down as Mumbai Indians captain for the 2024 IPL season, Rohit Sharma has continued to receive strong support from fans. This comes after the veteran cricketer was replaced by Hardik Pandya, a decision that sparked debate among fans, many questioning the logic behind it considering Rohit's successful history leading the team to five IPL titles.
During Mumbai Indians' matches, the passionate roar of ‘Rohit Sharma’ or ‘Mumbaicha Raja Rohit Sharma’ (King Rohit of Mumbai) continues to resonate throughout the stadium. This outpouring of support for Rohit stands in contrast to the reception Hardik Pandya has received in some stadiums, including Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and even Mumbai, where he has faced jeers and criticism from certain sections of the crowd.
Talking about the MI versus DC match, Rishabh Pant won the toss and put Hardik Pandya's side to bat first. Hardik Pandya made two more change in MI fold as he brought in Romario Shepherd and Nabi in place of Kwena Maphaka and Dewald Brevis.
After losing the toss Hardik Pandya said:
“We would have bowled first as well, but batting first is also not a problem, this wicket does look a bit drier. The ball might not come on nicely unlike in a night game. But there will be less swing and it should be good to bat. We don't want to put pressure onto us, but one win will give us a lot of confidence. Almost 18,000 young people are supporting us today, we're here to represent them and want them to go back home with a smile. Three changes for us - Surya is back, he replaces Naman. Romario replaces Mapaka and Nabi is in, he replaces Brevis"
Meanwhile, DC skipper Rishabh Pant after the toss said:
“We will bowl first. The wicket looks good, but you can chase any target here in Wankhede. We'll have to stick together as a team. I'm happy to be back, pleasure to be on the field in each and every game. Bowling is one department where we've been on and off, but it's hard for them in T20s. Just two changes for us.”
Mumbai Indians' Playing XI
Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Romario Shepherd, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Jasprit Bumrah.
Delhi Capitals' Playing XI
David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Abishek Porel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Jhye Richardson, Anrich Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed
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