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Tag: Mumbai Indians

  • Will Mumbai Indians Retain Rohit Sharma? Harbhajan Singh Comes Up With Blunt Remark Ahead Of IPL Mega Auction | cricket news

    Mumbai Indians and Rohit Sharma have always worked in tandem when it comes to the IPL. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, Mumbai Indians have lifted the IPL trophy for five times. Ahead of the upcoming mega auction, Rohit’s future with Mumbai Indians looks uncertain.

    Former India player Harbhajan Singh who spent time with Rohit Sharma in Mumbai Indians’ reckons that if the Hitman steps into the IPL auction, he will attract a massive bidding war.

    “It will be interesting to see whether he will be retained or not. If he goes into the auction pool, it will be fascinating to see which team bids for him. I’m sure many teams must be thinking along those lines,” Harbhajan told TOI.

    “Rohit Sharma, as a leader and a player, is amazing. He’s a top-quality player, top-quality captain and leader. He is a proven match-winner. Even at 37, he still has a lot of cricket left in him. If Rohit enters the auction, he will fetch big bucks. It will be exciting to see the auction unfold,” the former spinner added.

    Former cricketer and current commentator Aakash Chopra also said that Rohit Sharma’s journey with Mumbai Indians might be coming to an end.

    “Will he stay or will he go? It’s a big question. Personally, I feel he will not stay. Whoever is retained will be with the thinking that he will remain with you for three years unless your name is MS Dhoni,” said Aakash Chopra.

    “MS Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings’ story is very different but Rohit Sharma at MI, I feel he might himself leave or MI might leave him. Anything can happen but I don’t think Rohit is going to be retained here. I don’t have any information but I feel Rohit will probably be released,” he added.

  • Hardik Pandya Becomes World No. 1 T20I All-Rounder After Stellar T20 World Cup 2024 | Cricket News

    Hardik Pandya achieved another significant milestone in his career by becoming the new top-ranked T20I all-rounder globally after India clinched the T20 World Cup. His ascent to the summit, the first by an Indian all-rounder, followed a standout performance in the tournament finale against South Africa. Hardik’s stellar contributions included 144 runs and 11 wickets throughout the event, culminating in a pivotal role in the final where he claimed 3/20.

    His crucial dismissals of David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen propelled him up two spots in the rankings, displacing Wanindu Hasaranga to second place. This achievement marked a remarkable turnaround for Hardik, who had faced challenges earlier, including injury setbacks during the 2023 World Cup and a tough season with the Mumbai Indians.

    Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma in the T20 World Cup, Hardik’s fortunes reversed dramatically. His pivotal moments included a crucial wicket of Klaasen in the final, shifting momentum decisively in India’s favour. Facing a tense final over with 16 runs to defend, Hardik’s composure was evident as he dismissed Miller on the first ball, aided by a spectacular catch from Suryakumar Yadav.

    Hardik’s performance throughout the tournament showcased his prowess with the bat, boasting a strike-rate over 150, and with the ball, making critical breakthroughs when it mattered most. His contributions were pivotal in India’s journey to victory, culminating in an emotional celebration on the field.

    In addition to Hardik’s rise, there were notable movements in the T20I all-rounder rankings. Marcus Stoinis, Sikandar Raza, Shakib Al Hasan, and Liam Livingstone each advanced one position, while Mohammad Nabi saw a drop, falling out of the top five.

    Axar Patel In Top 13

    Axar Patel, another standout Indian performer, also made significant strides in the rankings, now sitting at 12th place. His contributions, including a vital 47 runs in the final and key wickets in crucial matches, earned him recognition and a seven-place jump in the rankings.

    Overall, India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup was underscored by Hardik Pandya’s exceptional all-round display, cementing his status as a leading figure in international T20 cricket.

  • Hardik Pandya, Natasa Stankovic Goes On Vacation Amid Divorce Rumours: Report | Cricket News

    In a dramatic turn of events, Hardik Pandya, India’s star all-rounder, has found himself at the center of swirling divorce rumours while also grappling with a tough IPL season. As speculations about his personal life with wife Natasa Stankovic intensify, Hardik has reportedly jetted off to an undisclosed overseas location for a much-needed break before joining the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York.

    Also Read: IPL 2024: From Virat Kohli’s Orange Cap To Harshal Patel’s Purple Cap, Who Won What – In Pics

    Professional Turmoil and Criticism

    Hardik Pandya’s leadership tenure with Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024 was nothing short of tumultuous. The decision to appoint him as the captain, replacing Rohit Sharma, was met with widespread disapproval from fans. Throughout the season, Hardik faced relentless criticism, with jeers greeting him at every match. The weight of expectations and the negative atmosphere affected his performance significantly, contributing to Mumbai Indians’ disappointing finish at the bottom of the standings.

    Mark Boucher, Mumbai Indians’ coach, commented on the situation, stating, “A lot of the stuff that he’s going through is, personally, maybe a little uncalled for. It’ll certainly be a learning curve for Hardik as his growth in leadership. While times are tough now, a couple of things will pass and it’ll make him a tougher leader and it’ll certainly grow him in the role as well.”

    Personal Life Under Scrutiny

    As Hardik grapples with professional setbacks, his personal life has been thrust into the spotlight. Rumours of a split with Natasa Stankovic, his wife, have been rampant. The couple, who have a young son, have not made any public statements regarding their relationship status, leaving fans and media speculating.

    Hardik’s absence from the initial batch of players departing for the T20 World Cup added fuel to the fire. Instead of boarding the plane with his teammates, he opted for a brief vacation abroad, reportedly in London for a training stint before rejoining the national team in New York. This move has only intensified the rumours about his marital status.

    Hardik’s Road to Redemption

    Despite the storm of controversy and criticism, Hardik Pandya remains a crucial figure for India’s T20 World Cup campaign. As the vice-captain, his role is pivotal in the team’s strategy and morale. His brief hiatus is seen as an attempt to rejuvenate himself after a taxing IPL season.

    The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma and including key players like Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rishabh Pant, has already commenced their journey to the USA. The squad’s first practice session in New York will be crucial in setting the tone for their World Cup campaign. Hardik’s timely arrival and state of mind will be critical in determining his and the team’s performance.

    What Lies Ahead for Hardik Pandya?

    The coming weeks will be decisive for Hardik Pandya. On one hand, his performance in the T20 World Cup could silence critics and reaffirm his position as one of India’s top all-rounders. On the other hand, the resolution of his personal issues will be keenly watched by fans and the media alike.

    As Hardik gears up to join his teammates, the focus will be on his ability to compartmentalize his personal struggles and channel his energy into his game. The support of his teammates and the guidance of the coaching staff will play a crucial role in his journey ahead.

  • IPL 2024: Mohammad Nabi Shares Post Of Fan Criticizing MI Captain Hardik Pandya, Deletes Later | cricket news

    IPL 2024: Mohammad Nabi of MI recently shared a fan’s post on Instagram that criticized MI’s captain, Hardik Pandya, for his leadership during the ongoing IPL 2024 season. Although Nabi later deleted the post, it garnered attention as it featured an image of Nabi taking a catch with a caption questioning Hardik’s decision-making.

    The fan highlighted that Hardik did not utilize Nabi’s bowling skills during MI’s match against PBKS at the Mullanpur Stadium near Mohali on April 19th. The caption read, “Some of your captain’s decisions are quite perplexing and leave fans puzzled! Nabi didn’t bowl today.”

    Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh lambasted Punjab Kings management for the decisions that they made against Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. (MI Bowler Completely Ignores Hardik During Final, Rohit Sets Field; Video Goes Viral – Watch)

    MI made PBKS batter totter hard while chasing a target of 193. The pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Gerald Coetzee made short work of the PBKS opening batters and played a major role in reducing PBKS to 77/6.

    In the absence of designated skipper Shikhar Dhawan and opener Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran opened the inning for the hosts. After Punjab lost three wickets within the blink of an eye, Liam Livingstone was promoted in the order and sent in for the number four spot. The decision of PBKS management didn’t go well with Harbhajan, as he slammed the management for their decisions.

    “What was the point of sending Sam Curran to open? Prabhsimran got out while trying to pull. I can understand that both players got out on not-so-dangerous deliveries. Then the delivery that got Rilee Rossouw out was sensational. But then you Sent Livingstone as a batsman who plays the role of finisher and whenever he is the captain, he goes on no. 6 because he plays the role of finisher,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel. (From Coin Flip To DRS Disputes: Are Umpires Mumbai Indians’ 12th Man In IPL 2024?)

    After top batters failed to leave their mark, the uncapped Indian duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma raised hopes of an unprecedented comeback. Shashank struck 41 off 25 deliveries, while Ashutosh took the game deep with his 61 off 28 deliveries.

    “We have to appreciate Shashank and Ashutosh. I want to understand how this management works. They send Livingstone up in the batting order and the players who are in form, Shashank are sent afterwards. You sent Harpreet Bhatia ahead of him. If you have brought him, then you should have waited. If Sahshank and Ashutosh were not there PBKS would have fallen before 100. Ashutosh is in form and he should be promoted to the batting order. You should give youngsters an opportunity,” he added.

    Recapping the match, star speedster Jasprit Bumrah’s (3/21) and Gerald Coetzee’s (3/32) influential spells, along with a scintillating 78-run knock from Surya Kumar Yadav, helped the Mumbai Indians defeat the Punjab Kings by nine runs. MI survived an unprecedented Ashutosh (61 off 28) blitz after Suryakumar Yadav’s 78 helped the visitors post 192/7. (With ANI inputs)

  • Suryakumar Yadav Injury Update: Star Batter Declared Fit By NCA To Play For Mumbai Indians? Read Here | cricket news

    India and MI’s star middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav has been declared fit to play by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for the upcoming Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals match at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday (April 7). Surya will return to cricket action after three months of recovery and rehab at the NCA. The BCCI and staff at NCA did not want to risk the batter’s chances of getting injured again when he returned to action so that’s why they took as much time as possible to analyze Yadav’s fitness.

    “He is fit now. The NCA made him play a few practice games and he looked good. He can join the Mumbai Indians team. We wanted to be sure that when Surya goes back to MI, he is 100 percent fit and ready to play games. He wasn’t feeling 100% during his first fitness Test before the IPL, so we waited to see if there was any pain while he was batting,” a source in the BCCI confirmed to the Indian Express. (SRH vs CSK Match Tickets Being Black Market? Mohammed Azharuddin Makes Bold Accusations)

    Suryakumar Yadav endured a grade II ankle tear during the T20I series in South Africa, initially sidelining him for seven weeks. However, a subsequent hernia injury necessitated surgery, prolonging his absence until now.

    The return of Yadav, ICC’s top-ranked T20I batsman, comes as a much-needed boost for the struggling Mumbai Indians. With three consecutive defeats in the IPL 2024 season, skipper Hardik Pandya has faced mounting criticism from fans in every match.

    After losing three consecutive matches at the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya said that they will continue fighting in the T20 tournament.

    In MI’s previous encounter against Rajasthan Royals (RR), Pandya scored the highest for Mumbai with 34 off 21 deliveries, while Tilak Varma played a crucial knock of 32 runs in 29 balls, taking MI to 125/9 after Rajasthan bowlers absolutely bossed Mumbai batters. in their homecoming match on Monday.

    Pandya took to his official

    “If there’s one thing you should know about this team, we never give up. We’ll keep fighting, we’ll keep going,” Pandya wrote on video)

    Summarizing the match, after winning the toss, RR opted to bowl first. Trent Boult (3/22) destroyed the MI top-order in the powerplay, reducing them to 20/4. A 56-run partnership between skipper Hardik Pandya (34 in 21 balls, with six fours) and Tilak Varma (32 in 29 balls, with two sixes) brought some order into the innings briefly before MI experienced a collapse again to end at 125/ 9 in 20 overs.

    Yuzvendra Chahal (3/11) and Nandre Burger (2/32) bowled well for RR and rocked the MI batting line-up with regular wickets, never giving them a chance to breathe.

    In the run chase, RR lost openers Jos Buttler (13), Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) while skipper Sanju Samson could make only 12 in 10 balls. Reduced to 48/3, they were in a tricky situation. But Riyan Parag once again performed a brilliant rescue act, scoring 54* in 39 balls, with five fours and three sixes to take his side to a six-wicket win with 27 balls left. Akash Madhwal (3/20) was the pick of the bowlers for MI.

    Following the win, the Rajasthan-based franchise stand at the top place of the standings with six points at a net run rate of +1.249. On the other hand, Hardik Pandya’s side are at the bottom of the table and are yet to score points.

  • Rohit Sharma Tells Wankhede Fans To Not Boo Hardik Pandya, Video Goes Viral; Watch | cricket news

    Former Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Rohit Sharma was seen calming down the crowd at Wankhede during the IPL 2024 game between home side Mumbai Indians and visitors Rajasthan Royals. The match was won by RR but throughout the game the anti-Hardik Pandya slogans were heard in the stadium. Hardik felt he was playing in an away contest in his homeground in IPL as he was constantly booed at the Wankhede stadiums. It all started at the toss when commentator Sanjay Manjrekar asked the crowd to behave when the booed as soon as Hardik’s name was called.

    Also Read | IPL 2024: Sara Tendulkar Spotted Watching MI vs RR Clash At Wankhede Stadium, See Viral PIC

    But the crowd was relentless in their pursuit to prove that this team was still Rohit Sharma’s. Every time, Hardik’s name was taken in the stadium or he came on the big screen, the fans chanted ‘Rohit, Rohit’. Hardik could be seen visibly disturbed when the crowd booed once again as he dropped a catch.

    Even Rohit could see the hostile nature of the Wankhede crowd which he had not seen before in IPL for their own player. While fielding in the deep, Rohit made a gesture to the fans sitting in that section of the crowd to calm down. The cameras captured him doing this and the video went viral instantly.

    Watch Rohit asking fans not to boo Hardik below:

    Rohit Sharma saying crowd not to boo Hardik Pandya, Just gentleman things. pic.twitter.com/xSm6cRj3BO

    — Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) April 1, 2024

    Coming to the match, Mumbai produced one of the worst performances in years as they were restricted to just 125 for 9 in 20 overs. Trent Boult demolished MI’s top-order, reducing them to 20 for 4 inside four overs. Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya played knocks of 32 and 34 runs respectively to steady the innings but soon they too departed and MI kept on losing wickets from thereon, eventually finishing with just 125 on the board. RR too had a bad start but Riyan Parag played another fine innings of unbeaten 54 runs to see the team through as the visitors registered their third win on the trot.

    IPL 2024 Points Table

    Rajasthan Royals (RR) have jumped to the top of the points table with three consecutive wins to their names. They are looking in solid form. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have dropped to second spot followed by Chennai Super Kings at the third. Gujarat Titans are fourth on the table while Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants are fifth and sixth respectively. The bottom four teams are Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians.

  • ‘Hardik Pandya Rashid Khan Ko Face Nahi Karna Chahte The..’, Irfan Pathan Brutally Analyzes MI Captain’s Tactical Errors In IPL 2024 Loss To GT | cricket news

    Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya did not get a dream start to his IPL 2024 campaign, losing the opening match to Gujarat Titans (GT) on Sunday night. He faced brutal online trolling throughout the match and received booing too from the Ahmedabad crowd. He captained GT for two seasons, taking them to a title win in the maiden season and till finals the second time. His decision to leave GT for MI has not gone down well with the Gujarat fans who showed their disappointment by booing the MI captain at the toss.

    Also Read | Rohit Sharma’s Animated Argument With MI Captain Hardik Pandya Post Loss To GT Goes Viral; watch

    On social media, Hardik received hate for ‘ordering’ former captain Rohit Sharma to field in the deep. Fans put out their anger on social media over how Hardik led as they could see an attitude problem with Hardik. After the match, a heated chat between Rohit and Hardik added fuel to the fire.

    Coming to Hardik’s captaincy, there was nothing much to take away from it. He won the toss and opted to bowl first and the bowlers delivered too, restricting GT to 168 for 6 in 20 overs. But as a batting unit, MI failed. They could not chase the target despite being in a commanding position right from the start and former India bowler Irfan Pathan blamed it on MI.

    Irfan said that Hardik should have come on to bat earlier than he did, facing the likes of Rashid Khan himself. But it seems, Irfan says, Hardik was avoiding facing Rashid. Irfan pointed out other areas too where Hardik faltered as captain on Day 1 as MI skipper.

    “When he came to bowl in the powerplay, he bowled 2 overs himself, that was one mistake. Second mistake was he sent Tim David ahead of him during the chase even when Rashid Khan had one over left. I felt Hardik did not want to face Rashid as he has not played cricket for a long time. Maybe that was one reason. I cannot see any logic otherwise that an Indian international batter, who has so much experience of batting in such situation, sitting in the dressing room and an overseas The batter is sent to bat in a pressure situation,” said Irfan.

    MI now fly to Hyderabad to face Sunrisers on March 27. Hardik feels they can make a strong comeback in the next game. They made some errors and need to learn quickly to bounce back.

    Follow all IPL 2024 Updates Here

  • Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2024 LIVE Streaming Details: Timings, Telecast Date, When And Where To Watch GT vs MI Match No.5 In India Online And On TV Channel? , cricket news

    Ahead of Mumbai Indians’ (MI) season opener match against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, star batsman Rohit Sharma said that preparation has always been the “key” to him. Rohit said that preparation before a game gives him a lot of confidence. The 36-year-old added that he does a lot of things before a match. Talking about the youngsters in the squad, Rohit said that they have done well in international and domestic cricket. He also hoped that the youngsters could make a mark in the tournament from the very first match.

    “For me, preparation has always been the key and that gives me a lot of confidence going into any game. There’s a lot of things that I do before a game and I think I have done almost everything now, just few things here and there which are left, which I will do now, and I will be ready for the game. A lot of the players that we got from the auction, were new faces, young players who have done well in domestic cricket as well international cricket. We are Looking forward to that. Hopefully they can make a mark right from the beginning,” Rohit said to the franchise. “Hear from Ro ahead of #GTvMI,” MI wrote while sharing the clip. (GT vs MI Dream11 Team Prediction)

    Ahead of the start of the IPL 2024, all-rounder Hardik Pandya was named the captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI), replacing their five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy-winning skipper Rohit Sharma in the 2024 season of the cash. -rich league.

    All you need to know about GT vs MI Live Streaming Details in IPL 2024:

    What date IPL 2024 match between Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians will be played?

    The IPL 2024 match Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians will take place on Sunday, March 24.

    Where will the IPL 2024 match Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians be played?

    The IPL 2024 match Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

    What time will the IPL 2024 match Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians begin?

    The IPL 2024 match between Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians will begin at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday.

    Which TV channels will broadcast Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2024 match?

    The Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians match will be televised on the Star Sports Network in India.

    How do I watch the live streaming of the Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2024 match?

    The live streaming of the Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians match will be streamed live on Jio Cinema app.

    MI squad for IPL 2024: Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Luke Wood, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.

  • IPL 2024 Winning Formula: Hit Most Sixes And Enter Final As Proven By CSK, MI, RCB; Check Stat | cricket news

    Hitting sixes matter in T20. Teams without big six-hitters tend to struggle, whether internationally or in franchise cricket. IPL is no different. History tells you that teams which have more sixes in the past editions, barring 2008, have reached the finals. This stat is a reason why the likes of Andre Russell, Glenn Maxwell, Rinku Singh, MS Dhoni, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya are so important to the success of their teams. Some of these players have had their fitness struggles but the franchises never turned their back on them. These players are match-winners on their day as they can chase down any target on the back of their power game.

    Also Read | IPL 2024 RCB vs CSK: MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli On Cusp Of Breaking Major T20 Records; Check Here

    Explaining how six-hitting skill is a game changer in T20Is using an India loss as an example

    Strong power game helped West Indies win 2 T20 World Cup titles. Remember that semifinal clash in T20 World Cup in 2016 between West Indies and India. West Indies won it because of their power game. In fact, Windies won these World Cups because of their boundary-clearing abilities.


    In this semifinal alone, Windies hit 11 sixes against India’s 3. India made 192 for 2 in 20 overs with Virat Kohli hitting 11 fours and just 1 six in his innings of 89 off 47 balls. The knock came at a brisk strike rate of 189.36. Dhoni hit just one boundary after facing 9 balls. Rohit Sharma, during innings of 31-ball 43, hit 3 fours and sixes each. India returned with eight wickets in hand and with six-hitters Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja unused. That was a tactical error on part of India as they failed to put up something over 220 despite wickets in hand and after playing 120 balls.

    Follow Full Coverage Of IPL 2024 Here

    Windies batsmen got reprieves in that match but they made full use of it. That is T20 cricket’s nature, by default. There’s always more risk involved but the returns are also maximum. Windies finished the game in 19.4 overs. What helped them were 11 sixes. They also hit more boundaries (20) in comparison to India (17). In a nutshell, West Indies hit 144 runs out of rheir 196 in boundaries (sixes and fours) and India scored just 92. This difference is quite telling.

    England adopted the same six-hitting principle in ODIs when they began their revival post the 2015 World cup debacle. The road was tough but they did not change their game and were eventually rewarded with the first fifty-over World Cup. The fact that they won the final on the number of boundary counts sort of tells the whole importance of boundaries.

    Which teams have hit most sixes in every IPL season sine 2008 and how many of them went to the finals?

    Now that we have explained the importance of six, here’s proving how key a role this skill plays in IPL as well. The most sixes hit in first season of IPL by a team was just 95, by Kings XI Punjab. The second most was from Deccan Chargers. Both did not make it the final. However, since 2009, at least one team of the two teams with most sixes that season has made it the final.


    In 2009, Chargers hit 99 sixes and won the competition. In 2010, CSK were won the competition with most sixes (97). In 2011, CSK won it again with second-most sixes in the season (91) while RCB hit 94 and were the finalists. In 2012, CSK made the finals again with 112 sixes. Mumbai Indians (MI) hit the most sixes in 2013 and won the competition while. Punjab Kings made their first final in 2014 on back of 127 sixes, the most that season.

    In 2015 too, MI hit most sixes (120) and won the championship for the second time. Next year, RCB made the final with 142 sixes. and 2017, MI won the competition for the third time with 117 sixes, against most in that edition.

    CSK in 2018 (145), 2021 (115) and 2023 (133), MI in 2019 (115) and 2020 (137) hit most sixes in these respective editions to win the tournament while Rajasthan Royals made the final on back of 137 sixes. in the tournament in 2022. The trend tells you clearly. The teams who can consistently hit sixes in this league increase their chance of qualifying for the final.

  • 'I Respect Them But…': Hardik Pandya On Rohit Sharma Fans Trolling Him After Getting MI Captaincy In IPL 2024 | cricket news

    Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya opened up on a lot of hot topics related to the franchise and the various changes that have taken place in the last six months or so. Immediately after Cricket World Cup 2023 when India fans were still recovering from the heartbreak of loss in the final, Mumbai Indians dropped a bombshell on their fans by announcing Hardik Pandya as the captain. The move seemed logical as MI looked to build a future leader. However, it did not go down well with a part of MI's fanbase, especially Rohit fans.

    In a matter of hours, MI lost lakhs of followers over Instagram and till date, they receive heat from Rohit fans in every post they make on Instagram. Hardik has faced a lot of flak for making a return to MI from Gujarat Titans (GT), some even racially abusing, calling him as 'Ch**ri'.

    Hardik Pandya on trolling by Rohit Sharma Fans

    But amid all the noise, Hardik has kept quiet and worked harder to get back in shape after suffering an ankle injury during the World Cup. For the first time, during the MI press conference, did Hardik open up on the change in captaincy and the backlash he received due to it.

    Hardik told the reporters that he respects the emotions of the fans but he cannot control the uncontrollables. “I respect the fans' emotions but I can only control the controllable. I respect them but I will focus on what I can be doing (as captain),” Hardik said.

    Hardik Pandya on how he feels after returning to MI

    The all-rounder also spoke on his return to MI, saying that he never thought he could reach at this stage of his career and come so far from where he began and a lot of credit behind his success goes to MI where his cricketing journey began .

    “It won't be any different because he will always be there to help me out if I need his help. At the same time, his (Rohit) being the Indian captain helps me because this team has achieved all its glory under his belt. From now on, it will just be me carrying forward what he_— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 18, 2024

    On leading Rohit Sharma in IPL

    One of the challenges for a junior, who started his cricket under a senior cricketer, to captain him, in IPL, domestic cricket or international cricket. Many top leaders have done that. MS Dhoni led a side which had Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly etc. Virat Kohli, Rohit have also led an Indian team that had Dhoni in it. Hardik faces the same scenario with Rohit in the MI set up.

    However, the new captain feels the task won't be as difficult as it sounds. He feels playing experience with Rohit will come handy when leading the former captain, who won MI five championships. “It won't be any different. He will be helping me when I need it. As mentioned, he is the Indian captain and I've played my whole career under him. So, I don't feel it would be awkward, ” said Hardik.

    Also Read | WATCH: Virat Kohli Dances With RCB Women's Players After Historic WPL 2024 Title Win

    He added that he had not got time to speak to Rohit since taking over as MI captain but there is a reason why. “I haven't got a lot of time to talk with Rohit because he has been touring. I will definitely catch up when he links up with the team,” said MI captain.