19 December,2023 07:35 AM IST | New Delhi | PTI
Hardik Pandya, Sunil Gavaskar and Rohit Sharma. (Pic/AFP)
Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar reckons that Hardik Pandya, as the new leader, will bring in "fresh thinking" in the Mumbai Indians (MI) camp as Rohit Sharma appeared fatigued and has not contributed enough with the bat in the last few years.
Pandya was traded to MI ahead of the 2024 IPL auction.
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Rohit and Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni are the most successful captains in the IPL, guiding their teams to five titles each in the lucrative league.
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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 IPL team skipper, but also as the India captain. "See, we don't have to look at it [decision to 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 Star Sports.
"Earlier, there used to be a lot of contribution [with bat] from Rohit, but in the last few years, they have finished at No. 9 or 10. And last year they qualified for the playoffs, but the âjosh' [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.
Hardik, after leading Gujarat Titans to title triumph in the team's inaugural year in 2022 also led his side to runners-up finish this year.
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