Hardik Pandya 'Demanded' Captaincy For Returning To Mumbai Indians: Reports
Hardik Pandya | Source: X.com
The cricket world was taken aback as Mumbai Indians, a powerhouse in the Indian Premier League, named Hardik Pandya as their captain of the team, stepping into the shoes of the illustrious Rohit Sharma, the leader behind the team's record five IPL titles.
Things went haywire in the franchise and among fans ever since the bombshell announcement. The whole situation, particularly the way they dealt with Rohit Sharma, is raising eyebrows as he didn't even get a chance to gracefully bow out before they handed the reins to Hardik Pandya.
Meanwhile, It has been just 20 days since MI dropped the bombshell about Hardik's comeback, finalising the deal with Gujarat in a cash deal. The star all-rounder, once a pivotal part of the franchise, got released in 2022 when Gujarat signed him as their captain.
Hardik Pandya led the debutants, Gujarat Titans, to a trophy the same year and ended up as runners-up in 2023. Mumbai Indians, who did not have enough budget to secure Hardik Pandya's services, traded the Australian all-rounder Cameron Green to Royal Challengers Bangalore to make the space and extend their purse.
Hardik demanded captaincy to return to MI
Now, adding to the drama, there are reports from the Indian Express stating that Hardik Pandya's agreement to join Mumbai Indians hinged on the condition that he would be appointed as the captain. He had made it clear to the franchise, who after consultation, agreed to the captaincy clause.
Furthermore, the report added that Rohit Sharma was informed about Mumbai Indians' vision and the immediate requirement for a change in captaincy through a series of meetings before he consented to play under Hardik in the forthcoming season.
.jpg "Anna's huge compliment for Ro")
 "Shivani Shukla")
