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Dale Steyn, a former cricket player from South Africa, gave his assessment of the Mumbai Indians‘ decision to promote Hardik Pandya to captain instead of Rohit Sharma in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
He stated that the squad should resolve any internal issues before their opening match of the 17th Indian Premier League.
The Mumbai Indians saw a significant leadership transition prior to the 2024 IPL. Hardik Pandya took over as captain after Rohit Sharma was removed from the position.
After spending two years in 2022 and 2023 with the Gujarat Titans, the all-round player was traded to the team.
Many were taken aback by this, as Rohit Sharma has been an incredible leader in the Indian Premier League.
Along with Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians is the most successful team in the league thanks in large part to the senior opener, who led the squad to five IPL titles.
The Mumbai Indians won a championship in 2013 when Rohit Sharma assumed captaincy of the squad.
He maintained his hegemony as the team won championships in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. In addition, he led the group to one Champions League victory.
On the flip side, Hardik Pandya has also shown himself to be an excellent leader in the IPL. In his debut season leading the Gujarat Titans, he took home the championship.
He led the team to the championship game the next season, but they were defeated by the Chennai Super Kings, who won the league for the fifth time, in a heartbreaking loss.
Dale Steyn acknowledged that the Mumbai Indians may face difficulties as a result of changing captains.
He mentioned that Hardik Pandya has rejoined the squad after a two-year absence and expressed his hope that the team will resolve all of its issues. He clarified to PTI in a statement:
“I believe the entire dynamic of departing from and returning to Mumbai would be difficult. I hope a month prior to the IPL, they had some kind of camp. So, prior to the first game, any issues that people may have are resolved.
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Many reports in recent times have implied that Hardik Pandya’s appointment as team captain did not sit well with some of the more experienced players in the Mumbai club. A few of them even posted cryptic remarks about the same thing on social media.
Speaking on the same topic, Dale Steyn stated that although there may be problems, international players understand how to set aside their egos and collaborate for the benefit of the team. He continued, saying:
“You have huge personalities, folks who have made decisions in the past and in a different capacity now. It could be the tiny needle that we are unable to see or hear on television.
Mumbai should be alright, though, because these elite cricket players know how to set aside their egos.
The Mumbai Indians have begun their IPL 2024 preparations. Hardik Pandya, the captain, has been working hard, while Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rohit Sharma will probably soon join the team.
On March 24, they will play the Gujarat Titans in the first game of their campaign.
