Hardik Pandya has claimed that there will be nothing weird playing with Rohit Sharma and believes that the Indian skipper will help him lead Mumbai Indians' to their record sixth title in 2024.
In a noteworthy trade, Hardik Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans and ended up being appointed as the captain just four days before the IPL 2024 mini-auction. The decision sparked a wave of criticism from supporters, especially those loyal to Rohit Sharma, who has led the team to five IPL titles.
Moreover, the situation escalated further when Rohit's wife, Ritika Sajdeh, took to Instagram to refute MI coach Mark Boucher's explanation for Rohit's removal as captain, adding fuel to the speculation surrounding the decision.
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What did Hardik Pandya say?
Finally, Pandya has broken his silence over the contentious issue and his relationship with Rohit. When asked if he had the opportunity to speak to Rohit, he told reporters: "I haven't got a lot of time to talk with Rohit because he has been touring. I will definitely catch up when he links up with the team."
On speaking about his relationship with the former captain, Hardik added: "Nothing weird in playing with Rohit Sharma. I have played under him all my life. Rohit Sharma is captain of Indian team, which helps me, what this team has achieved, was achieved under his belt - I just carry forward, I played my whole career under him and I know, he will always have his hand on my shoulder."
Has Rohit Sharma joined MI camp?
While MI began their pre-tournament camp on Saturday, captain Rohit Sharma did not attend the camp on Day 1 in Mumbai.
When will Rohit Sharma join MI for IPL 2024?
According to the latest reports from Sports Tak, Rohit Sharma is set to join up with the Mumbai Indians on Monday, March 18. Their first match is against Gujarat Titans on March 24.
Rohit Sharma vs Hardik Pandya: IPL captaincy record compared
| Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Win% | Runs | Avg | SR | |
| Rohit Sharma | 158 | 87 | 67 | 4 | 55.06% | 3986 | 30.25 | 129.37 |
| Hardik Pandya | 31 | 22 | 9 | 0 | 70.97% | 833 | 37.86 | 133.49 |
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