Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya
Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his frustration with Mumbai Indians players for not fully accepting Hardik Pandya as their captain in the IPL 2024 season. Pandya took over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma before the start of the new season, but the team has suffered three consecutive defeats under his leadership. After the loss against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday, a picture of Hardik sitting alone in the dugout stirred Harbhajan’s anger, who stated that Pandya has been left isolated, and the situation surrounding the team’s dynamics and captaincy decision is concerning.
“The visuals are concerning. He has been left alone. The franchise players should rally behind him as their captain. The decision has been made, and the team needs to stick together. As someone who has played for this franchise, the situation is worrying,” Harbhajan expressed on Star Sports post-match discussion.
Ambati Rayudu, a former MI star, questioned whether the team members are contributing to Pandya appearing “confused” and unable to work freely. Harbhajan responded, suggesting that “big personalities in the dressing room” are hindering Pandya’s ability to lead effectively.
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“I’m not sure if it’s intentional or unintentional, but there are individuals in the team who seem to be clouding his judgment. The presence of these big personalities in the dressing room is limiting Hardik’s freedom as a captain. This is not an ideal scenario for any leader,” he added.
In the meantime, former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu speculated that Rohit Sharma would not have been replaced by Hardik Pandya as Mumbai Indians’ captain had the BCCI appointed him skipper for the T20 World Cup earlier.
Sidhu suggested, “If the BCCI had named Rohit as captain for the T20 World Cup in October, the franchise wouldn’t have opted for Hardik as captain. It’s a matter of respect for the franchise. So, the crux of the issue here is timing.”
Pandya has faced hostility from fans during the ongoing IPL, being booed in all three matches, including one at MI’s home ground of Wankhede, besides experiencing defeats.
Sidhu empathized with the fans’ sentiments, noting that Rohit is a beloved cricketer. “Nobody can digest the fact that India’s hero, India’s captain, is not leading our franchise. ‘What has he done wrong?’ is the question fans might be asking. But what’s the solution? There’s nothing like success. If he had won these two matches, there wouldn’t have been any noise,” he remarked.
