NEW DELHI: Looking for an emoji to express awkwardness? A look at the faces of Mumbai Indians coach Mark Boucher and captain Hardik Pandya at the MI pre-IPL season press conference in Mumbai on Monday should end that search. Their expressions when asked about captaincy changing hands from Rohit Sharma to Hardik and the reasons for it said everything.
HOW TO WATCH IPL IN USA Hardik, as a leader, proved doubters wrong when he captained Gujarat Titans to victory in their inaugural season in 2022 and took them to the final next season. He comes back to his alma mater as an achiever. But it is his leadership qualities that will be tested.
Cryptic posts on social media by senior MI players after learning about Hardik’s trade and elevation to the captaincy have created employment opportunities for those wanting a career in reading between the lines.
Apart from five IPL trophies, Rohit has hand-held young players, giving them chances to show their wares. The younger players rallied around him both at MI and in the Indian team set-up. How the side reacts to a change in leadership styles after 10 years will be interesting to see.
If Hardik can convince Rohit to be the 2019 version of himself, rather than the slog-and-swipe batter, with nine 50s since 2019, at a below-par strike-rate and an embarrassing average, it will be a tick for him.