Former Indian cricketer turned commentator Irfan Pathan has come out in support of Rohit Sharma following Hardik Pandya's appointment as captain by Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2024.
Mumbai Indians have made a significant transition in leadership by handing over captaincy duties to Hardik Pandya for the upcoming IPL season on Friday.
Irfan Pathan seems to be disappointed with Mumbai Indians decision to move on from Rohit Sharma as a captain and giving leadership role to Hardik Pandya, who was traded from Gujarat Titans this month.
Taking to his X handle (formerly Twitter), Pathan tweeted that Rohit Sharma's will always be at the top in the legacy of Mumbai Indians.
"Kitne bhi saal ki purani ye franchise kyon na ho jaae sabse upar naam Rohit Sharma ka rahega. @ImRo45 @mipaltan"
Translation: No matter how many old is this franchise, Rohit Sharma's name will forever be at the top
Rohit Sharma's end to his 10-year captaincy stint with Mumbai Indians came as a surprise as many felt that he will be leading the five-time IPL champions to another title in the IPL 2024.
What lies ahead for Rohit Sharma?
In the upcoming IPL season, Rohit Sharma will play purely as a player for the first time since 2012. After 10-year captaincy stint with Mumbai Indians, the 36-year-old will focus on his batting without any captaincy pressure in the IPL 2024.
However, Rohit Sharma is expected to remain part of leadership group, consisting of newly appointed captain Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Mark Boucher, Lasith Malinga, and Kieron Pollard.
Rohit Sharma's captaincy stint with Mumbai Indians is one of the most successful stints as a captain in the IPL history. He was the first captain to lead the IPL team to five titles before Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni joined him in 2023.
Rohit Sharma is the third highest run-getter as a captain in the IPL, amassing 4006 runs in 159 matches.
