Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya's career took a massive upturn recently as Mumbai Indians announced him as the new captain ahead of IPL 2024. With the Baroda-born cricketer reaching Jamnagar to reach Reliance Industries, he received a grand welcome as a video of the same went viral on social media on Wednesday (December 27th, 2023).
In the video on social media, Pandya was spotted reaching Jamnagar in his car and was greeted with numerous horses and musical instruments. The men on the horses later rallied behind the 30-year-old Indian star.
Mahela Jayawardene explains the rationale behind appointing Hardik Pandya captain:
With Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as the captain despite the latter winning five titles, fans expressed outrage and the franchise's social media accounts' followers tumbled. Mumbai Indians' Global Head of Performance Mahela Jayawardene reasoned that they see the 30-year-old as their future.
"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."
Jaywardene also lauded Rohit for his outstanding contribution all these years and taking the franchise to unparalleled heights.
"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. Under his guidance, MI became one of the most successful and loved teams ever."
IPL 2024 is likely to begin on March 22nd.
