Image Credit- Mumbai Indians
The Mumbai Indians had a clear plan when they pulled
off the coup of getting back Hardik Pandya from the Gujarat Titans during the
IPL trade window.
It came as no surprise that Hardik was selected as
captain for the 2024 IPL season, taking over for Rohit Sharma, who, together
with MS Dhoni, is the most successful captain in IPL history. The speed at
which it occurred—less than 20 days after Hardik was revealed as a Mumbai
Indian once more—was unexpected.
The question then arose as to whether, less than three
months before the 2024 season began, Rohit himself was taken aback by the rate
of change.
It has been reported that the team notified Rohit of
Hardik’s upcoming return as soon as the Mumbai Indians qualified for the
playoffs in the IPL 2023, following two disappointing seasons in 2021 and 2022
in which they finished fourth. Mahela Jayawardene, the team manager, and the
owners were not concerned about Rohit’s captaincy. If Rohit’s hitting
statistics were concerning, it was because, over the previous two seasons (2022
and 2023), his average stayed close to 20.
Additionally, as Rohit will turn 37 in April of next
year, his age would have been taken into consideration when choosing and
securing a successor to guarantee a seamless transfer. In the past, Mumbai
Indians have not shown much emotion throughout changes. After saying goodbye to
the cornerstones of their IPL history, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting,
Harbhajan Singh, Lasith Malinga, and Kieron Pollard, they discovered means to
keep them connected to the team whenever feasible. John Wright, who led them to
the championship in 2013, was quickly promoted to a scouting position behind
the scenes and achieved amazing outcomes. The owners closely oversee the Mumbai
Indians leadership group, which made sure each of these choices was made
effectively.
Pulling the best performance out of his players was
one of Rohit’s strategies at the Mumbai Indians. His teammates give Rohit
credit for instilling confidence and comfort in them, enabling them to do their
best work, whether it is for India or the IPL. This is because Rohit is a
people person; his straightforward communication style helps him better
understand his players. And he has made use of that, combined with his tactical
sense, to carry out his plans when things become tight.
With his captaincy at the Mumbai Indians no longer a
burden, Rohit is free to go after the “ultimate prize”—a world
championship—that he so movingly discussed earlier this week. After finishing
as the top run scorer in the 2019 ODI World Cup, Rohit has been chasing the
goal of taking home an ICC trophy with great fervour. As captain, he had three
chances to win: the 2022 T20 World Cup, the 2023 World Test Championship, and
the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, he was unsuccessful in all three attempts.
Although it is unclear if he would captain India in the 2024 T20 World Cup in
June, it is certain that Rohit and the Mumbai Indians, along with the rest of
India, would want him to set the terms in the first six overs of the T20
World Cup tournament.
Now that Hardik is back in a familiar setting—he
referred to it as a “homecoming”—the task ahead will be more
difficult. In addition to his performance on the field, his main responsibility
will be to make sure that his squad works as a cohesive one and that the
seniors—Rohit, Bumrah, and Suryakumar—trust, believe in, and appreciate him.
Hardik is aware that those final two also harboured aspirations to be leaders.
He might have difficulties both on and off the pitch.
It has taken Mumbai three seasons to win the IPL
trophy. This apparent shift in leadership indicates that the owners and
management are now eager for another championship run. There will be a lot of
pressure on Hardik because he is the captain of one of the most famous IPL
teams. Maintaining fitness to represent India in the T20 World Cup and maybe
leading the team in the future is also a top priority.
Mumbai’s task will be to make sure that Rohit and
Hardik work together in the near future and establish the foundation for
long-term success.