(Image source from: Instagram.com/rohitsharma45)
The question of whether Rohit Sharma will play under Hardik Pandya's leadership remains unanswered, adding to the anticipation surrounding the upcoming IPL 2024 after India's dominant victory over England in the Test series. Last December, Mumbai Indians (MI) announced that Hardik would be taking over as captain, bringing an end to Rohit's decade-long tenure. This decision was met with strong public criticism as fans expressed their desire to see Rohit back in charge. The situation became even more intriguing when Rohit's wife, Ritika Sajdeh, responded to Mark Boucher's statement about the change in captaincy by saying, "There are so many things wrong with this." Boucher had claimed that Rohit's batting was being affected by the captaincy and that MI wanted to see him thrive as a batsman once again. Additionally, there were concerns about the transition itself. While Rohit has yet to address the matter publicly, internal sources suggest that all is not well with regards to the change in leadership. Ambati Rayudu, the former MI and CSK player, weighed in on the situation, supporting Rohit and suggesting that MI may have rushed into the decision to switch captains.
Rayudu disagreed with the decision to appoint Hardik as captain, suggesting that Rohit should have continued in the role. He praised Rohit's leadership skills and expressed his belief that Mumbai Indians made the decision too hastily. Rayudu admitted that captaining MI is a challenging task due to the presence of numerous star players and the immense pressure that comes with it. He even expressed his desire to see Rohit join the Chennai Super Kings. Rayudu believes that Rohit still has several years of cricket left in him and that the idea of him starting a new chapter with CSK is incredibly exciting. When asked about the possibility of Rohit leading CSK if Dhoni retires, Rayudu stated that the decision should ultimately be up to Rohit. He believes that Rohit can continue playing for another 5-6 years.
Rayudu expressed his excitement about the possibility of seeing Rohit play for CSK in the future. He believes that Rohit has the capability to captain any team in the world. However, the decision ultimately lies with Rohit. Rayudu acknowledged that Rohit has played for Mumbai Indians for many years and has been instrumental in their title wins. Therefore, if Rohit decides to join CSK, Rayudu sees no reason why he shouldn't. With Rohit no longer leading the team, Mumbai Indians will no longer have their star-studded squad. Instead, Hardik Pandya will be making his debut as captain, leading a team of talented young players.
