IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya will 'bring in fresh thinking' at Mumbai Indians, says Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar has backed Mumbai Indians’ decision to replace Rohit Sharma as captain for IPL 2024 with Hardik Pandya. Rohit had led MI for a decade - having taken over from Ricky Ponting in 2023. Pandya was announced as captain just couple of days after his blockbuster trade from Gujarat Titans. MI called the change in captaincy a ‘significant leadership transition’. While, MI’s former coach and Global Head of Performance Mahela Jayawardene said the change is part of a process that helps them to be “future-ready”. After moving to Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction, Pandya found immediate success. He led the team to the title in their inaugural season and reached the final in 2023 - losing to Chennai Super Kings in the final. Read | Why Mumbai Indians went with Hardik Pandya as captain for IPL 2024 over Rohit Sharma? Gavaskar opined Rohit Sharma looked tired in the last two seasons with the Mumbai Indians, highlighting how leading the country and IPL side was apparently taking a toll on his leadership and performances alike. “We shouldn’t go into rights and wrongs. But, the decision they have taken is for the benefit of the team. In the last two years, Rohit’s contribution, even with the bat, has dipped a little bit. Earlier, he used to score big, but in the last two yearsâ€æ they finished No. 9 or No. 10 the year before last year and in the last year they qualified for the playoffs,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports. Read | **Revisiting Rohit Sharma's reign as Mumbai Indians captain** “But we missed seeing the mojo in Rohit Sharma that we used to see in the previous few years. Maybe, he was a little tired because of playing continuous cricket, he was a little tired because of captaincy, leading India and the franchise,” he added. “I feel that the decision, they have kept in mind that Hardik is a young captain who has produced results. Hardik has led Gujarat to the finals twice, and he led them to the title in 2022. I think they have made him captain by considering all this.” Mumbai Indians last won the IPL title in 2020 and failed to make the playoffs in 2021, 2022. In 2022, the team finished bottom of the points. The team did better last season, reaching the playoffs, but crashed out on the first time of asking. Gavaskar believes Pandya will bring in a fresh thinking and energy into the team. “At times, you need fresh thinking. Hardk brings in that fresh thinking. I think the decision will only benefit Mumbai Indians, it will not deter them,” he said.