Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) recently removed the captain who had led them to each of their five Indian Premier League (IPL) titles Rohit Sharma. The franchise appointed Hardik Pandya as the skipper of the side for IPL 2024 days before the auction on December 19. The decision has stunned fans, many of them were supporters of the Blue and the Gold Brigade only because they were admirers of Rohit Sharma.
The same can be gauged from the fact that MI have seen a significant dip in their social media followers shortly after they announced the decision to replace Rohit as their leader. There hasn't been an official statement from Rohit either. However, MI star and his wife Ritika Sajdeh were spotted at daughter Samaira's annual function at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai.
Fans were quick to react to the viral picture with some netizens expressing concerns over their worried expression in the picture.
Take a look at the reactions here:
We Express Our Gratitude To Rohit Sharma For His Exceptional Leadership: Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene, Global Head of Performance, Mumbai Indians did issue a statement regarding the transition of 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 stated.
"We express our gratitude to Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership; his tenure as the captain of the Mumbai Indians since 2013 has been nothing short of extraordinary. His leadership has not only brought unparalleled success to the team but has also solidified his place as one of the finest captains in the history of the IPL. Under his guidance, MI became one of the most successful and loved teams ever. We will look forward to his guidance and experience on and off the field to further strengthen MI," he added.