Hardik Pandya, the new Mumbai Indians Captian appeared for his first press conference since taking over the captaincy and addressed the potential awkwardness of leading Rohit Sharma, who is the captain of the Indian cricket team. He expressed that it won’t be awkward or different for him to lead Rohit Sharma for the first time in his career.
Hardik Pandya speaks about Rohit Sharma
Pandya emphasized that Rohit Sharma’s presence in the team would be beneficial as he would be there to help out if needed. He also mentioned that Rohit’s experience and achievements as the Indian team captain would be valuable in carrying forward the legacy of MI.
“First of all, it won’t be any different because he is going to be there to help me out if I need any help. At the same time, he is the captain of the Indian team, which helps me because this team, what he has achieved under his captaincy, from now onwards, I want to carry forward what he has achieved,” Hardik Pandya said.
“It won’t be awkward or anything different. It will be a nice experience. I have played all my career under his captaincy. I know he is going to have a hand on my shoulder always, throughout the season,” he added.
Interestingly, a week after the end of IPL 2024, Hardik will play under Rohit at the 2024 T20 World Cup. This dynamic shift in roles within a short span showcases the adaptability and professionalism of these players.
Pandya also addressed the backlash from fans regarding the change in captaincy. He acknowledged the fans’ right to express their opinions and emphasized focusing on the sport and controlling the controllable.
“Backlash bit. To be very honest, we respect fans. At the same time, we focus on sport. I control the controllables. I don’t focus on what I can’t control. At the same time, I am very grateful to fans. They have every right to say what they say. I respect their opinion. At the same time, we will focus on doing well,” said Hardik Pandya.
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