AB de Villiers calls for Mumbai Indians’ fans to support new captain Hardik Pandya

The Mumbai Indians ushered in a new era yesterday, naming Hardik Pandya as their skipper for the upcoming IPL season. He takes the reins from the legendary Rohit Sharma, who led the franchise for a remarkable 10 years.

Under Sharma’s leadership, the Mumbai Indians soared to unprecedented heights. He not only secured 5 IPL titles and 1 Champions League T20 trophy, but also forged an unbreakable bond with the franchise. Sharma’s transformative journey, from guiding a struggling Mumbai unit to crafting the most decorated T20 team in the world, is etched in cricketing history.

While the legacy of Rohit Sharma remains firmly entrenched in the heart of the Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya now embarks on a fresh chapter. His dynamic leadership and all-around prowess promise exciting endevours with the franchise. After two whirlwind years at the helm of the Gujarat Titans, where Hardik Pandya led them to a glorious maiden title in 2022 and near-championship glory in 2023, the prodigal Pandya returns to his Mumbai roots. Now, armed with his infectious energy and championship pedigree, he seeks to weave his magic back into his first franchise.

While Hardik Pandya’s return as a Mumbai Indians captain has sparked excitement, a shadow of disappointment lingers among Rohit Sharma fans. They grapple with the loss of Rohit Sharma’s leadership, a figure deeply woven into the franchise’s fabric. Additionally, questions of loyalty simmer, with some fans viewing Pandya’s 2021 departure and subsequent captaincy over established stars like Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah with a degree of skepticism.

“He was also a Mumbai boy for a long time”

In a recent video, South-African legend, Ab de Villiers has offered his opinion on the subject. According to him, fans should accept Pandya with both arms as he played a huge part in 4 of their title wins and was a ‘Mumbai Boy’ for a long time.

“To be fair to Hardik, he was also a Mumbai boy for a long time. He was always Mumbai boy from the start of his IPL career. He was with him when they lifted some trophies. I get your point that Surya and Bumrah sort of stayed loyal to the brand when Hardik decided to move on, if you wanna say that. But he’s back,” the 39-year old said.

He also expressed his surprise to the fact that Hardik’s elevation led to Mumbai Indians receiving a lot of hate on their social outlets. “I think I find it quite strange that the reaction was pretty negative. I have been reading posts that said Mumbai Indians social platform lost like 1 million followers and people are upset,” he added.