Mumbai Indians (MI) replaced Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya as the next captain of the team ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. However, the team has so far performed miserably under the leadership of Pandya.
The star all-rounder left Gujarat Titans (GT) and joined MI in the trade window. The all-rounder had a great outing as the skipper of the Ahmedabad-based franchise in 2022 and 2023, where GT reached the final.
However, in 2024, MI have put up dismal shows so far. MI have a stronger squad in comparison to GT. But Mumbai still find themselves on the verge of an early elimination. Let’s have a look at some reasons why Hardik Pandya has failed to replicate his success at MI.
Booing by fans
Pandya seems to have been affected by the outside noise, booing of fans and countless trolling after he was appointed as MI captain in place of veteran batsman Rohit Sharma. Even former India batsman Robin Uthappa and many other experts mentioned that Pandya’s mental health would have been affected due to the development. This could be a big reason for MI’s failure in the current edition of the mega event.
Lack of freedom
Pandya was enjoying ample freedom in GT. He had played a big role in forming the squad at the mega auction. However, Mumbai Indians could not do it because of the mega auction.
Change in role
Hardik batted at number four and played the anchor’s role during his tenure at GT. He even opened the bowling because he was probably the best man to do it. However, MI have plenty of options for these kinds of roles. Hence, there is no clarity over Pandya’s role.
Relationship with coach
GT coach Ashish Nehra had a great relationship with Pandya and it was the main reason behind GT’s success as the captain and coach often work in tandem. However, the same coordination can’t be seen between Hardik and Boucher. The development could have affected the performance of MI in IPL 2024.