Mumbai Indians, the five-time champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), are set for a leadership change in the upcoming 2024 season, with Hardik Pandya taking over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma.
Hardik Pandya, who returned to Mumbai Indians last November after a stint with the Gujarat Titans, is poised to lead the team in the upcoming season after spending two successful years with GT.
AB de Villiers, the esteemed cricketer from South Africa, shared his insights on Mumbai Indians’ decision to appoint Hardik Pandya as the new captain, emphasizing the team’s need to excel as a batting unit to secure their sixth IPL title in 2024.
“Incredibly successful team of the IPL. They have won five titles. Big controversy over the last few months was that Hardik Pandya coming in as new captain in place of Rohit Sharma. They seem to be happy though. They seemed to have moved on. It’s great to have Hardik Pandya in blue at his home team Mumbai Indians. They will be starting against Gujarat Titans, how ironic is that,” De Villiers remarked on his YouTube channel.
As Mumbai Indians gear up to face IPL 2023 runner-up Gujarat Titans on March 24 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, De Villiers highlighted the team’s star-studded lineup, including standout performers like Jasprit Bumrah, who showcased excellent form in the recent Test series against England.
With his vast IPL experience, De Villiers emphasized the importance of players like Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) firing on all cylinders for Mumbai Indians, recognizing the significance of in-form players in major tournaments.
Mumbai Indians’ impressive track record includes title victories in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020, solidifying their status as one of the most dominant franchises in IPL history.
