IPL 2024 Auction: Rohit Sharma's Stature In MI Same As MS Dhoni's In CSK - Irfan Pathan

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan praised the legacy of Rohit Sharma as captain of Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He said that the opening batter has the same stature as that of MS Dhoni in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Rohit Sharma’s stint as a Mumbai Indians (MI) captain came to an end after the franchise announced Hardik Pandya as a new leader on Friday (15th December). It came as a surprise for many because no one expected his stint coming to an end this early.

Rohit Sharma took charge of the Mumbai Indians in 2013 from Ricky Ponting and after that, he didn’t look back. He proved his prowess as a leader in the very first season as a captain as he guided the team to the title victory in that very season itself.

Rohit Sharma announced himself a leader in IPL in style as after that he captained team title victories in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. He made Mumbai Indians the most successful team in the history of the league before Chennai Super Kings joined them in 2023 with the 5th title.

With Mumbai Indians removing Rohit Sharma as their captain, it triggered many emotional reactions from the fans. However, apart from that many even lauded the batter for the unmatched legacy that he left behind as a captain of the team in 10 years.

Irfan Pathan didn’t shy away from lauding Rohit Sharma’s leadership and stated that he built the team with blood and sweat as captain. He highlighted how a right-hander without some key players took the team to qualifiers in last season. He explained:

“Rohit Sharma has a huge stature in the team. For me, Rohit Sharma’s stature in Mumbai Indians is similar to that of Dhoni’s stature in CSK. Rohit Sharma has built the team with blood and sweat as captain, he has contributed a lot, always involved in the team meeting.

“He is an amazing captain, a bowlers’ captain. Last year, despite (Jofra) Archer’s form and (Jasprit) Bumrah not being there, Rohit still had a great IPL season as a captain.”

IPL 2024 Auction: “It won’t be easy for Hardik,” Irfan Pathan on Rohit Sharma’s removal as MI Captain

Irfan Pathan further added that with Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rohit Sharma in the squad, it won’t be easy for Hardik Pandya to captain the team. He added that the result will now depend on how management will take care of players. He elaborated:

“Now, with SKY, Bumrah and Rohit being there, who have performed leadership roles at the International level, it will be a challenge for Hardik. The result lies in management for MI and Hardik. It won’t be easy for Hardik.”

Hardik Pandya has a great leadership experience in the IPL. He captained the Gujarat Titans to an IPL win in 2022 and after that guided them to the final in the next year. However, at Mumbai Indians, he will be having an extra baggage of expectations, especially after what Rohit Sharma has achieved.