‘Rohit Sharma’s stature in Mumbai similar to MS Dhoni in Chennai’: Irfan Pathan

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has said that Rohit Sharma had left a remarkable legacy at the Mumbai Indians. The 5-time champions recently announced a significant change for the IPL 2024 season, as they appointed Hardik Pandya as the new captain of the side, succeeding Rohit, who had led the team since 2013. Hardik was acquired by Mumbai Indians in a trade deal worth INR 15 crore from Gujarat Titans. Rohit Sharma shares the distinction of being the most successful captain in IPL history along with MS Dhoni. He took charge of the side midway through the IPL 2013 season and played a big part in Mumbai going all the way and clinching the title by beating CSK in the final. He then led the side to victories in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. He is also the fourth-highest run-scorer in IPL history with 6211 runs - 3986 of these runs have come when he was captain of the side. Speaking with Star Sports, Irfan Pathan drew parallels between Rohit Sharma’s impact on Mumbai Indians and MS Dhoni’s influence on CSK. He said that Rohit was instrumental in team building, emphasizing his dedication and contributions that led to five IPL titles. “Rohit Sharma’s stature in Mumbai Indians is similar to that of Dhoni’s stature in CSK. Rohit Sharma has build the team with blood and sweat as captain, he has contributed a lot. He is an amazing captain, a bowlers’ captain. Last year, despite (Jofra) Archer’s form and (Jasprit) Bumrah not being there, Rohit still had a great IPL season as a captain," Irfan said. Irfan also backed Hardik Pandya to be successful as the new MI captain, but also acknowledged the challenges ahead for the all-rounder, especially considering the presence of seasoned players like Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rohit himself. “Now, with SKY, Bumrah and Rohit being there, who have performed leadership roles at International level, it will be a challenge for Hardik. The result lies in management for MI and Hardik. It won’t be easy for Hardik,” Irfan added. Hardik was captain of Gujarat Titans in 2022 and 2023 and led the side to finals in both editions. Gujarat was the IPL champions in their debut season back in 2022.