Hardik Pandya’s tenure as Mumbai Indians (MI) captain in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season has begun on a disappointing note, with the team languishing at the bottom of the points table with three consecutive defeats.
MI’s poor start under Pandya’s leadership is evident in their inferior net run rate (NRR) of -1.423 and the absence of any points in the standings. The team’s struggles began in their opening match against Pandya’s former franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT), where GT emerged victorious by a narrow margin of six runs.
In the subsequent match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), MI faced another setback as SRH secured a comprehensive 31-run victory. The trend continued in MI’s third match against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), where RR secured a convincing six-wicket win.
Adding to Pandya’s challenges as captain is the lack of support from Mumbai Indians fans and the fan base previously loyal to Rohit Sharma, who was removed as captain ahead of IPL 2024. Sharma, who led MI to five IPL titles, enjoys significant fan support despite relinquishing the captaincy.
Pandya’s return to MI ahead of the IPL 2024 season came with a significant condition: the demand to be handed the captaincy. However, this decision didn’t sit well with a portion of the fan base.
His journey in the IPL has been unconventional, including his stint as captain of GT in IPL 2022 before returning to MI for the 2024 season. Despite leading GT to victory in IPL 2022, Pandya’s return to MI has been marred by criticism and jeering from some sections of the fan base.
The poor start to Pandya’s captaincy stint at MI has raised concerns and cast doubts on the team’s performance in the remainder of the IPL 2024 season. As MI navigates through turbulent waters, Pandya faces the daunting task of rallying his team to turn their fortunes around and regain lost ground in the tournament.
Also, see:
IPL 2024: Ram Navami Clash – KKR vs RR Fixture Faces Rescheduling?
