As Hardik Pandya leads MI, the team languishes at the bottom of the IPL 2024 standings with three consecutive defeats.
The debate over the Mumbai Indians’ captaincy is intensifying in IPL 2024. After Hardik Pandya took over from Rohit Sharma, opinions have become divided on the impact of the leadership change.MI’s season has started on a bleak note, with the team enduring three losses in a row, positioning them at the tail end of the points table. Pandya, facing criticism, has been met with boos from the crowd, even at MI’s stronghold, Wankhede Stadium.
Following a recent defeat to RR, ex-Indian cricketer Manoj Towary speculated that Pandya’s tenure as captain might be short-lived. Virender Sehwag, however, offered a perspective grounded in patience and history.
“Commenting on the captaincy so early seems premature. We’ve seen MI under Rohit Sharma lose five straight matches before; 5-0, yet they bounced back (making it to the playoffs). The team is likely to show the same patience with Hardik. These are just numbers. They’ve been 0-3 down before. However, extending this losing streak could test the management’s patience,” Sehwag remarked on Cricbuzz.
He referenced other teams’ mid-season captaincy changes, suggesting such decisions are not unheard of but emphasized the importance of timing and message. “Franchises like Punjab and Chennai have made mid-season captaincy changes, but those came at the midpoint. Changing a captain after just three games sends the wrong message. However, the management might consider a reassessment around the halfway mark of the season, based on performance.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan also weighed in, expressing surprise at the Indian fans’ reaction to Pandya.”It’s surprising to see the Indian fans, who are passionate about cricket, booing one of their own. Understanding the reaction in Ahmedabad against the Gujarat Titans makes sense given Pandya’s move to MI and past successes. Yet, the widespread booing, even at home games, is unprecedented for Indian crowds. It’s a significant moment,” Vaughan noted on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, highlighting the unusual nature of such fan behavior in India.
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