'Kitne bhi saal ki purani ye franchise...': Pathan drops his verdict on MI removing Rohit as captain

Former India all-rounder, Irfan Pathan, has endorsed Rohit Sharma in the wake of Hardik Pandya's selection by the Mumbai Indians as captain ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League. Hardik Pandya was named captain of the Mumbai Indians for the forthcoming IPL season on Friday, marking a major change in the team's leadership.

3 Things you need to know

• Mumbai Indians have appointed Hardik Pandya as the new captain
• Rohit Sharma has been removed from captaincy
• Under Sharma's leadership, MI won 5 IPL titles

Also Read | 'Hardik backstabs Rohit': Netizens shocked by move

Irfan Pathan reacts to the news of MI appointing Hardik Pandya as the new skipper

Irfan Pathan appears dissatisfied with the Mumbai Indians' choice to end the tenure of Rohit Sharma as captain of MI, and subsequently, he expressed his thoughts regarding it on the micro-blogging platform X.  

"Kitne bhi saal ki purani ye franchise kyon na ho jaae sabse upar naam Rohit Sharma ka rahega. @ImRo45 @mipaltan"

Translation: No matter how many old is this franchise, Rohit Sharma's name will forever be at the top.

Also Read | MI reveal reason behind removing Rohit as captain

Rohit Sharma's unexpected demotion

It was unexpected that Rohit Sharma would be leaving the Mumbai Indians after ten years as captain, as many had assumed he would be leading the side in IPL 2024.

For the first time since 2012, Rohit Sharma will play only as a player in the forthcoming IPL season. The 36-year-old will concentrate on his batting in the IPL 2024 with no responsibility to lead the Mumbai Indians after a ten-year run in that role.

Nonetheless, it's anticipated that Rohit Sharma will continue to be a member of the leadership group, which also includes Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Mark Boucher, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and recently selected captain Hardik Pandya.

During his time as captain of the Mumbai Indians, Rohit Sharma enjoyed one of the most successful captaincy stretches in IPL history. Before MS Dhoni, who joined with the tally in 2023, Rohit Sharma was the first skipper to lead an IPL franchise to five titles.