Videos of Mumbai Indians fans burning their jersey, caps and gold membership cards have gone viral
The former captain of Gujarat Titans, Hardik Pandya is once again in headlines after Mumbai Indians announced him as the new captain.
For those unfamiliar, the decision to replace Rohit Sharma as the captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI) for the upcoming 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season has stirred dissatisfaction among fans.
Mumbai Indians fans burn jersey, cap and gold cards after Hardik Pandya replaces Rohit Sharma as captain, video goes viral
A Rohit Sharma fan burns the Mumbai Indians' cap. pic.twitter.com/FtlTI20VvY
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 15, 2023
Fans Burning Mumbai Indians Jersey all over 🔥🤙#ShameOnMI #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/6UgZWqjeda
— B A A D S H A H 🇮🇳 (@BaadshahExpress) December 16, 2023
Jerseys, Flags are being burnt, Followers decreasing, own cricketers wife is uploading stories, no one congratulating pandya, players not liking posts….
Rohit Shamra is bigger than your existence #MumbaiIndians
Soon you'll loose big brand endorsements pic.twitter.com/Abu1jj8YEJ— VIVEK. ( MI KI MKC ) (@NotOutVivek) December 16, 2023
Instead, Mumbai Indians has appointed Hardik Pandya as the skipper for the upcoming season, with the all-rounder having been traded to the Mumbai-based franchise before the auction, following a stint with the Gujarat Titans (GT).
Fans Reaction
This decision, announced on Friday, December 15, prompted strong reactions from Rohit’s supporters. A viral video on social media depicts a fan burning a Mumbai Indians’ cap with the caption, “Rohit Sharma over anything.”
In 2013, Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy of MI from Ricky Ponting, transforming the team’s fortunes. During his nine seasons as captain, Mumbai Indians claimed the IPL title five times, and players like Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma thrived under his leadership.
MI Paid Tribute to Sharma
In response to the leadership transition, Mumbai Indians posted an emotional tribute to the 36-year-old Rohit on their social media, acknowledging his contributions over the years.
The post read, “Ro, In 2013 you took over as captain of MI. You asked us to believe. In victories and defeats, you asked us to smile. 10 years & 6 trophies later, here we are. Our forever captain, your legacy will be etched in Blue & Gold. Thank you, Captain RO.”
Hardik Pandya, who began his career with MI and left the franchise before the 2022 season, achieved success as the Titans’ captain, leading them to victory in their inaugural season.
In 2023, the Titans finished as runners-up, losing to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) led by MS Dhoni. Mumbai Indians officially announced the leadership transition for the 2024 season, with Hardik Pandya taking over as captain.
Mahela Jayawardene, Global Head of Performance for Mumbai Indians, emphasized the team’s commitment to legacy building and being future-ready. He expressed gratitude to Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership and welcomed Hardik Pandya as the new captain, wishing him the very best for the upcoming season.
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