Fans accuse Mumbai Indians of purchasing bot followers amid ongoing captaincy shuffle ahead of IPL 2024

Just ahead of the 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Mumbai Indians (MI) raised eyebrows by appointing Hardik Pandya as their new captain, succeeding the highly successful Rohit Sharma. The decision sparked controversy among fans who expressed their discontent over Rohit’s apparent snub from the captaincy.

Rohit Sharma, the right-handed batter, had led MI to an impressive five IPL titles in just eight years, sharing the record with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, MS Dhoni. Despite his remarkable success, MI’s management opted for a change in leadership, handing over the reins to star all-rounder Hardik.

The move is believed to be influenced by Hardik’s recent stint with the Gujarat Titans (GT), where he led the team to two consecutive IPL finals in 2022 and 2023. Reports suggest that Pandya made his move to MI contingent on being appointed captain, indicating a strategic decision by the franchise, possibly considering Rohit’s potential reduced participation in the shortest format in the coming years.

Fans expressed their dissatisfaction through trending hashtags

The announcement, however, did not sit well with fans, and social media platforms witnessed a significant backlash. MI’s Instagram account reportedly lost around 5 lakhs (500,000) followers shortly after the news broke. Fans expressed their dissatisfaction through trending hashtags such as “RIP Mumbai Indians,” “Unfollow Mumbai Indians,” and “Shame on Mumbai Indians.”

Interestingly, there are reports of the lost followers gradually returning, leading some fans to accuse the franchise of purchasing fake followers to mitigate the negative impact. The controversy has added an unexpected twist to MI’s preparations for the upcoming IPL season, and the team’s performance under Hardik Pandya‘s captaincy will undoubtedly be closely scrutinized.

As the cricketing community eagerly awaits the unfolding of the 17th IPL season, all eyes will be on the Mumbai Indians to see how they navigate the challenges of this leadership transition and whether Hardik Pandya can guide them to further success in the tournament.

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