Mumbai Indians, the five-time champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), have announced Hardik Pandya as their captain for the upcoming season. The 30-year-old all-rounder, who rejoined the team from Gujarat Titans in a cash deal in November, takes over from Rohit Sharma. Under Rohit Sharma, the team won the IPL five times — 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
The announcement of Pandya’s captaincy came via Mumbai Indians’ social media handles and their website. The franchise highlighted this significant leadership transition for the 2024 season, expressing confidence in Pandya’s abilities. Mumbai Indians stated that their decision aligns with their vision of remaining future-oriented and building a legacy.
Mahela Jayawardene, the Global Head of Performance for Mumbai Indians, emphasized the team’s tradition of nurturing future leaders while acknowledging the contributions of previous captains. He explained that Pandya’s appointment embodies the franchise’s ethos of preparing for the future while aiming for immediate success.
“We express our gratitude to Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership; his tenure as the captain of the Mumbai Indians since 2013 has been nothing short of extraordinary. His leadership has not only brought unparalleled success to the team but has also solidified his place as one of the finest captains in the history of the IPL. Under his guidance, MI became one of the most successful and loved teams ever. We will look forward to his guidance and experience on and off the field to further strengthen MI,” the former Sri Lanka captain heaped praise on Rohit Sharma.
Pandya, who secured four IPL titles with Mumbai Indians in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020, led Gujarat Titans to victory in their inaugural IPL season in 2022 before returning to his former team for the upcoming IPL campaign.
