WATCH: Fan burns Mumbai Indians’ jersey after Hardik Pandya replaces Rohit Sharma as new captain

Many hearts were shattered on Thursday, December 15 as Mumbai Indians, 5-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, declared star all-rounder Hardik Pandya their new captain for the upcoming 17th edition, replacing the highly successful Rohit Sharma. Devoted fans, who followed the franchise for Rohit’s stellar captaincy, were disheartened. 

The right-handed batter leaves behind a legacy as one of the most successful captains, securing 5 IPL trophies in just 8 years. Adding to the disappointment, a video circulating on social media captures a fan burning the MI jersey in response to the unexpected announcement.

Watch the video here:

Hardik Pandya was traded to MI from GT

MI’s Global Head of Performance and former Sri Lankan legendary cricketer Mahela Jayawardene talked about the announcement and said embracing legacy and future-readiness, Mumbai Indians appoint Hardik Pandya as captain for IPL 2024, following a tradition of exceptional leadership.

“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,” Jayawardene was quoted as saying by India Today.

After a two-year stint captaining Gujarat Titans (GT), Hardik Pandya makes a return to MI, where he initially debuted in the IPL. Leading GT to victory in their inaugural season, Pandya secured the IPL title in 2022 by defeating Rajasthan Royals in the final. In a standout performance, he earned the Player of the Match title for taking 3 wickets and contributing 34 runs with the bat. Pandya continued his successful leadership in 2023, guiding the team to the final once again, but they narrowly lost to MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling last-ball encounter.