"A dwarf is a dwarf even if..." - Navjot Singh Sidhu's stunning take on Hardik Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as MI captain

Former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu shared his perspective on Rohit Sharma playing under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy in the IPL 2024. Navjot Singh Sidhu emphasized that Rohit Sharma’s stature remains unaffected despite playing under Hardik Pandya’s leadership.

Hardik Pandya was traded from the Gujarat Titans to the Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. Pandya took over the captaincy role for Mumbai, succeeding Rohit Sharma. He began his tenure as captain of the five-time champions in a match against the Titans.

The Mumbai-based team suffered a narrow 6-run defeat in their opening match in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 24. The MI skipper failed to make an impact with both bat and ball, while Rohit Sharma contributed 43 runs off 29 balls, including seven fours and a six.

Playing Under Hardik Pandya Does Not Make Rohit Sharma Smaller – Navjot Singh Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu commented on Rohit Sharma‘s legacy and the change in captaincy to Hardik Pandya within the Mumbai Indians team. Sidhu drew parallels to his own experience with the Indian cricket team with multiple captains.

“I have played in an Indian team where five captains used to play together. Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Ravi Shastri. Pick up a brick and you will find a captain both above and below it. There were no issues because they were playing for their nation. The motivation was to play for your country. So playing under Hardik does not make Rohit smaller,” said Sidhu on a Star Sports show.

Rohit Sharma has been a stalwart for the Mumbai Indians franchise since joining the team in 2011. Sharma led the franchise admirably for ten years, from 2013 to 2023. The veteran opening batter guided them to five IPL titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.

Dhoni Has Passed The Baton Already – Navjot Singh Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu suggested that the Mumbai Indians team could have undergone a similar transition as MS Dhoni’s leadership change. He emphasized the need to acknowledge changes, highlighting Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni’s greatness.

“Dhoni has passed the baton already and that could have happened in Mumbai Indians as well….They (MI) gave it three years (after 2020) and when it did not work (in producing another title), they got a new person for the job. You need to accept it,” Sidhu further stated.

“But Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni are great players. A dwarf is a dwarf even if he is standing at the top of a mountain and a God is a God even if they are standing at the bottom of a well.”

This season saw a change in leadership as two of the most successful IPL teams. MS Dhoni stepped down from the Chennai Super Kings, passing the reins to Ruturaj Gaikwad. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya took over from Rohit Sharma as the captain of the Mumbai Indians.

The Mumbai Indians will take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad in their upcoming match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday, March 27. This game holds special significance for Rohit, as it marks his 200th match for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

Also read: Rohit Sharma set to become the first Mumbai Indians’ cricketer to achieve this milestone during SRH vs MI clash