Hardik Pandya a booster shot for Mumbai Indians

PTI

New Delhi, December 18

Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar reckons that new captain Hardik Pandya will bring “fresh thinking” in the Mumbai Indians’ camp as Rohit Sharma appeared fatigued and has not contributed enough with the bat in the last few years.

The India T20 skipper was traded to MI ahead of the 2024 IPL auction, scheduled to take place in Dubai tomorrow.

Rohit and Chennai Super Kings’ skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni are the most successful captains in the IPL, guiding their teams to five titles each.

However, MI have gone without a title since 2021, finishing last in the 2022 edition. Gavaskar said that it could be because Rohit is “fatigued” since he has been playing continuously not only as the franchise’s skipper but also as the India captain.

“See, we don’t have to look at it (decision appoint Hardik as MI captain) as right or wrong. The decision they (MI) have taken has been for the benefit of the team. We can say that the contribution of Rohit, even with the bat, has become slightly lesser,” Gavaskar told a TV channel.

“Earlier, there used to be a lot of contribution (with bat) from Rohit, but in the last few years, they have finished 9th or 10th. And last year they qualified for the playoffs, but the josh\I (enthusiasm) of Mumbai Indians was not there to be seen as we have seen in the past. Maybe because he has played cricket continuously he must have been fatigued, constantly captaining the Indian side and then Mumbai Indians,” added Gavaskar.

Gavaskar said that Hardik has proved himself for Gujarat Titans and his return to MI will infuse fresh ideas into the side.

“So, the decision that they have taken, he is a young player, young in terms of captaining a side, who has proven himself, taking Gujarat Titans to the finals twice and winning it once. So, with the same thought process, they have made him captain. Because sometimes you need that fresh thinking, and he can bring that fresh thinking,” he added. — PTI

IPL auction: Hazlewood available in May

New Delhi: Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood, who has been tipped to create ripples in the auction room, will be available for IPL 2024 only from the first week of May, as per the BCCI intimation to the teams. Hazlewood, who played an integral role in Australia’s recent ODI World Cup win, will be away in March and April as the pacer and his wife are expecting their first child. However, reports claim that all the other Australian players, including World Cup hero Travis Head, will be available for the entire duration of the IPL. Bangladesh’s fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam will be unavailable for next year’s IPL as they are expected to feature in Bangladesh XI in the home series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe between March and April.

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