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'What Wrong Has Rohit Sharma Done?' - Navjot Sidhu On MI's Captaincy Turmoil In IPL 2024

Hardik Pandya had a poor start as MI captain (AP)Hardik Pandya had a poor start as MI captain (AP)

Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has weighed his opinion over the perpetual Mumbai Indians captaincy turmoil between fans and Hardik Pandya.

Ever since Pandya was appointed as the new skipper of the franchise back in December 2023, the all-rounder has been subjected to severe criticism and backlash from fans of previous captain and five-time IPL winner Rohit Sharma.

Cricketer-turned-commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu believes that the captaincy change decision made by the Mumbai Indians management seems to have alienated supporters. The 60-year-old also added that fans would not be causing such uproar if Hardik Pandya’s team had won their initial matches of the IPL 2024 season.

Navjot Singh Sidhu weighs in on MI captaincy

While speaking at the Star Sports press room, cricketer-turned-commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu reflected on fans’ perspective over the sudden removal of Rohit Sharma from Mumbai Indians’ captaincy in favor of comeback man Hardik Pandya.

Sidhu also implied that Pandya needs to lead Mumbai Indians to some wins in order to pacify the wrath of fans at stadiums. 

“Nobody can digest the fact that India’s hero, India’s captain, is not the captain of our franchise. ‘What wrong has he done?’ is what fans of the franchise would be thinking. But what does he have to do? There is nothing that succeeds like success. If he had won these two matches, there wouldn’t have been any noise," he said.

Navjot Singh Sidhu further claimed that Mumbai Indians franchise would not have announced Hardik Pandya as their IPL 2024 captain if the BCCI had confirmed Rohit Sharma as India’s leader for this year’s T20 World Cup 2024 back in October 2023 itself. He added:

“If the BCCI had named Rohit as captain for the T20 World Cup in October, the franchise wouldn't have chosen Hardik as captain. It’s a matter of the franchise’s respect. So, the actual issue here is timing.”

Under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians franchise slipped to their third successive defeat on April 1, as they came up short to Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium.

Currently placed at the bottom of the IPL 2024 points table, Pandya and Co. will now face Delhi Capitals at the same venue on April 7.