'That shows the character Rohit is': Michael Clarke on Rohit Sharma-Hardik Pandya 'beef'

Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has shed light on the speculated fall-out between Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, emphasizing the commendable character displayed by Rohit amidst the controversy. Clarke's insights come amid ongoing discussions regarding the alleged rift stemming from the captaincy saga at the Mumbai Indians.

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In a recent episode of the Around the Wicket podcast, Michael Clarke expressed confidence in Rohit Sharma's ability to rise above any dispute, stating, "You know what… knowing Rohit Sharma, he will wrap his arms around Hardik Pandya. That shows the character that Rohit is. He is the Indian captain and trust me… he wants to win that World Cup. He has had a lot of say in the 15 that is picked by India." 

Highlighting Rohit Sharma's pivotal role in shaping the Indian squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Michael Clarke emphasized Rohit's inclusive leadership style. Despite speculation surrounding the alleged rift, Rohit Sharma has demonstrated his impartiality by picking Hardik Pandya as his deputy for the ICC tournament.

"If the beef between Rohit and Hardik was as strong as people think, Hardik wouldn't be in that World Cup campaign," the 2015 ODI World Cup-winning captain remarked. 

For those who don't know, Rohit Sharma was removed as MI captain ahead of the IPL 2024 season and Hardik Pandya was made the skipper in his place. Hardik was secured by Gujarat Titans for an undisclosed sum and was made the captain of the team by MI management. 

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Rohit Sharma, who won five IPL titles with Mumbai Indians, was replaced without any send-off and the development angered a lot of MI fans. Hardik Pandya faced boos from MI supporters and Rohit Sharma loyalists wherever he went for the first half of the IPL 2024 season.

The team also suffered because of this lackluster management and Mumbai Indians became the first side to be eliminated from the playoff race in the current IPL season.   

India's squad for T20 World Cup 2024

Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya (vc), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj. Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed