IPL 2024: Sunil Gavaskar explains the reasons behind Mumbai Indians’ decision to replace Rohit Sharma as a captain

In a surprising move ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) have replaced Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya as their captain. This unexpected decision comes couple of days after the team traded Pandya from the Gujarat Titans (GT). Under Rohit Sharma’s leadership, the MI clinched five IPL trophies, marking the end of an era.

Sunil Gavaskar’s insights on the decision to replace Rohit Sharma by MI

During a discussion on Star Sports, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar provided insights into the considerations that led to this captaincy change. Gavaskar elaborated on the perceived fatigue factor, suggesting that leading in both the IPL and international cricket had taken a toll on Rohit. This exhaustion, according to Gavaskar, influenced the franchise’s decision to bring in a fresh captain for the upcoming season.

“We shouldn’t go into rights and wrongs. But, the decision they have taken is for the benefit of the team. In the last two years, Rohit’s contribution, even with the bat, has dipped a little bit. Earlier, he used to score big, but in the last two years, they finished No. 9 or No. 10 the year before last year and in the last year they qualified for the playoffs,” Gavaskar said.

“But we missed seeing the mojo in Rohit Sharma that we used to see in the previous few years. Maybe, he was a little tired because of playing continuous cricket, he was a little tired because of captaincy, leading India and the franchise,” the 74-year-old added.

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Gavaskar’s confidence in Hardik Pandya

Expressing confidence in the new leadership, Gavaskar backed Pandya to bring substantial success to the Mumbai-based franchise. He highlighted Pandya’s successful stint with the GT, leading them to two finals in the last two seasons, making the change in captaincy a sensible move for the franchise.

“I feel the decision that has been taken, he is a young captain who has given results as well. He took the Gujarat Titans to the final twice and Hardik Pandya also won the title once. So he has been made the captain with that thinking. You need fresh thinking at times and he can bring that. I feel the Mumbai Indians will not be at a loss and will definitely gain from this decision,” the Mumbai-born cricketer concluded.

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