IPL 2024: around Mumbai Indians (MI), Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya continue as the fans remain in disbelief of the change in captaincy. It’s been a few weeks now since the IPL 2024 kickstarted but the intensity of the speculations have gotten intense with each passing fixture of Mumbai Indians (MI). In the recent anticipation trend, the fans want Rohit Sharma to move to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the next IPL season.
Mumbai’s decision to strip Rohit Sharma of the captaincy, after successfully leading the side for more than a decade, hasn’t gone well so far. The franchise has come under the scanner ever since the decision was made. More so the team’s performance hasn’t been up to the mark which is again fueling the heat.
Notably, Hardik Pandya, who replaced Rohit Sharma in the leadership position, too, has faced an insane amount of hate for being in this position. The all-rounder has been booed by the fans, even at the Wankhede Stadium. His slump form with the bat and ball has also contributed to the fans’ anger towards him.
After Mumbai’s recent defeat against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the fans even called out the all-rounder for his dismal outing. In the last five outings, his scores with the bat were – 24, 34, 39, 21*, 2. To his misfortune, his captaincy hasn’t been great either.
The broadcasters have often criticised Hardik Pandya for his dismal captaincy since he joined Mumbai Indians. He has been under the firing lines of Kevin Peterson and Sunil Gavaskar among others who have pin-pointed the MI skipper for a poor display of leadership.
I See Rohit Sharma in Chennai Super Kings: Vaughan
As things continue to escalate in the MI setup, the fans have kept making bizarre speculations about Rohit Sharma. Some fans, in fact, have gone to the extent that they suggested Rohit to move out of the MI setup and join Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the next mega auction of the IPL.
Speaking about the potential move, Vaughan while appearing on the BeerBiceps podcast said, “Will he (Rohit Sharma) go to Chennai? Replace Dhoni? Gaikwad is doing it (the captaincy) this year, and it might be just (an act of) holding position for Rohit next year. I see him in Chennai.”
However, it is very unlikely to happen unless something terrible transpires for Mumbai Indians (MI). Rohit Sharma has had the allegiance of MI owners and the management from the start of his IPL career. He would definitely not want to move out of the franchise that he had led to five IPL titles.
The host of the show then asked, if Rohit Sharma would get booed, to which Michael Vaughan replied in a negative. ‘No’. “Then, he’s playing for Chennai,” he said.
The former England skipper, though, mentioned that the MI management couldn’t go right with their communication with the skipper and things turned differently afterwards.
“Hardik’s going through a difficult time, and it’s not his fault. He has been asked to captain Mumbai Indians; who is going to say no to that? He has been given a job that every single Indian cricketer would like to do. MI have had a tricky couple of years, I just believe the communication wasn’t right.
However, Vaughan maintained that he would have retained Rohit Sharma to the top position even if Hardik Pandya was to come back to the MI setup.
“I personally would’ve captained Rohit. Hardik coming back to MI is big enough pressure in itself, and Rohit is obviously going to be the Indian T20 captain. The sensible move would’ve been for Rohit to carry as MI captain with Hardik in mind for next year or 2,” Vaughan said.
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