Xtra Time Web Desk: Five-time Indian Premier League champion Mumbai Indians, are known for their slow starts in the tournament, often losing initial matches before eventually clinching the title. However, under Hardik Pandya’s leadership, they’ve suffered a hat-trick of losses, raising doubts about his captaincy. Team’s succession planning for leadership hasn’t gone as expected, drawing criticism from former Australian opener Matthew Hayden.
With MI currently at the bottom of the points table after three consecutive losses, Hayden stressed the importance of Rohit Sharma’s involvement. He suggested that MI should ensure Rohit remains connected with the team, sharing his insights, as the fans hold a deep affection for him. Hayden emphasized that involving Rohit in the franchise’s decisions and communicating them effectively to the fans through social media platforms could mitigate any concerns and garner support.
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Hayden said: “See the fans are the biggest stakeholders in this and they often don’t have the politics, the insights, but they want to understand this, they love Rohit Sharma. There’s going to be no getting around that. So potentially how it could have been handled little bit differently is to ensure that Rohit is on board with it, the franchise is communicating it out to the fans, through social media platforms that announce a lot of these things and they actually carry a lot of weight.”
MI’s faith in Hardik Pandya
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Last year, in a notable transaction preceding the auction, Hardik was traded to Mumbai Indians from the Gujarat Titans (GT) in a cash-only deal. Upon joining MI, he was appointed as the team’s captain, effectively concluding Rohit Sharma’s successful tenure, during which the franchise claimed five titles. This decision has been met with criticism from MI’s widespread fan community in India, who have voiced their discontent on social media and even resorted to booing Hardik at the three venues where the team has played, including their home ground, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.