Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to take over the captaincy of the Mumbai Indians in the 2024 season, replacing Rohit Sharma, as announced by the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise.
This decision came shortly after the all-rounder's re-signing last month. Pandya, a key contributor to Mumbai's four IPL titles from 2015 to 2021, led the Gujarat Titans to victory in their debut season in 2022. Additionally, he captained the team that finished as runners-up to the Chennai Super Kings this year.
Despite his success with the Gujarat Titans, the 30-year-old expressed a desire to return to his original team, prompting the Mumbai Indians to inject an additional 150 million rupees ($1,806,546) into Gujarat's funds ahead of the IPL auction on Tuesday.
Mumbai's global head of performance, Mahela Jayawardene, stated in a release, "It is part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready." He added, "Mumbai Indians have always been blessed with exceptional leadership... It is in keeping with this philosophy that Hardik Pandya will assume the captaincy of the Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season."
This shift marks the end of Rohit Sharma's era, during which the franchise secured five IPL titles between 2013 and 2020. Rohit, who is also the captain of the Indian national team, will continue to contribute his guidance and experience both on and off the field to further strengthen the Mumbai Indians, as affirmed by the team statement.
