"Mumbai Indians have to see the future.."- Yuvraj Singh on Rohit Sharma vs Hardik Pandya

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh expressed his thoughts on Hardik Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as the Mumbai Indians (MI) captain for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Yuvraj Singh said that he would have retained Sharma for another year as the MI skipper.

The Mumbai Indians appointed Hardik Pandya as the new captain ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. The all-rounder returned to the team after a two-year absence. Shortly after his comeback, Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma, sparking controversy among supporters.

While some saw it as forward-thinking, Rohit Sharma’s supporters criticized the move. Tensions escalated when Rohit’s wife, Ritika Sajdeh, contradicted MI coach Mark Boucher’s explanation for Rohit’s removal as captain in an Instagram post, adding fuel to the speculation.

Rohit made his captaincy debut for MI during the 2013 season. He led the Mumbai-based team to five titles in the prestigious tournament. The team last won the title during the 2022 season of the league. The team will see a leadership change for the first time in 11 years.

Removing Rohit Sharma Is A Big Decision – Yuvraj Singh

Speaking on Star Sports, Yuvraj Singh emphasized Rohit Sharma‘s extensive success as captain in the IPL and advocated for a more gradual transition. Singh said that Sharma should have continued as captain for another season with Hardik Pandya as vice-captain.

“Rohit Sharma is a five-time IPL winner as captain. Removing him is a big decision. I would’ve probably got in something, for example Hardik. But I would have given Rohit another season and let Hardik be vice-captain, and see how the whole franchise worked,” Yuvraj said.

“But obviously, I understand from the franchise point of view, that they have to see the future. But again, Rohit is still the Indian captain, and he’s playing really well. So, it’s a big decision.

“Everybody has a opinion, but franchise has to take the right call for the futgure. I guess it was in that interest, and I hope they do well,” he added.

Hardik Pandya Has Great Talent – Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh acknowledged the achievements of Hardik Pandya but emphasized the unique pressures of captaining the Mumbai Indians. Singh highlighted the heightened expectations and the need to handle immense pressure.

“In terms of talent, yes, he has great talent. Being captain of Gujarat is different from being a Mumbai captain. Expectations are a lot and MI are one of the top sides. You have to carry the pressure. I’m sure he will have good support around him. Hopefully, they do well,” Yuvraj stated.

Hardik Pandya led the Gujarat Titans (GT) to their maiden title in the Indian Premier League 2022. The Ahmedabad-based team beat the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the final clash. He reached the final in the next edition but suffered a loss to Chennai Super Kings.

The Mumbai-based franchise will kick off their IPL 2024 campaign with a match against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 24.

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