Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, known for his explosive batting, dynamic fielding, and an incredible bowling, is all set to take over captaincy reins from Rohit Sharma to lead Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Rohit Sharma led the franchise to the five title victories in the franchise’s past journey. Recently, Mumbai Indians had traded Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans where he had led the latter to the title victory. Hardik Pandya had started his IPL journey with Mumbai Indians and now he is back to captain the side. Pandya has been a pivotal player for the Mumbai Indians since joining the team in 2015. His journey with the franchise has seen him evolve from a promising youngster to a seasoned all-rounder, contributing significantly to Mumbai Indians' numerous successes over the years. 

“It is part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready. Mumbai Indians have always been blessed with exceptional leadership right from Sachin to Harbhajan and Ricky to Rohit, who while contributing to the immediate success have always had an eye on strengthening the team for the future. It is in keeping with this philosophy that Hardik Pandya will assume captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season,” said Mahela Jayawardene, Mumbai’s global head of performance, in a statement. 

“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. We welcome Hardik Pandya as the new captain of MI and wish him all the very best.”

Pandya's leadership qualities have been on display during his tenure as India’s vice-captain and in T20I matches where he led the Indian team to victories. His ability to remain calm under pressure, coupled with a strategic mindset, makes him a promising choice for the captaincy role.