As the Indian Premier League 2024 kicked off, Mumbai Indians made a surprising change by appointing Hardik Pandya as their new captain, replacing the seasoned Rohit Sharma. Fans, however, were quick to declare that Rohit would always be the “King of Mumbai,” celebrating his legacy as the five-time IPL champion skipper. Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, a proud Mumbaikar, also chimed in on the debate.
During a promotional event for his upcoming movie, Deshmukh humorously stated that even though Hardik Pandya now leads the Mumbai Indians, Rohit Sharma remains the true ‘Raja’ of Mumbai. This sentiment is backed by Rohit’s impressive track record, having led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles, equalling the trophy count of their rivals, Chennai Super Kings. Despite retiring from T20Is after leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rohit’s presence in franchise cricket is still eagerly anticipated.
Question: Mumbai का राजा कौन ?
Riteish – Captain Hardik है, लेकिन राजा तो Rohit Sharma है। #rohitsharma #HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/YzWtb4UaeN
— Shubhankar Mishra (@shubhankrmishra) July 26, 2024
Deshmukh shared his thoughts on the matter in a podcast interview with journalist Shubhankar Mishra on his YouTube channel. The discussion was light-hearted, with fellow actor Saqeeb Saleem also participating.
Suryakumar Yadav Steps Up as Captain
With Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20Is, many expected Hardik Pandya to take over as India’s T20I captain, given his role as vice-captain in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, the selection committee surprised everyone by appointing Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20I captain, with Shubman Gill as vice-captain for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour. Rohit, meanwhile, continues to captain India in Tests and ODIs and has expressed his desire to lead the team in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Suryakumar Yadav, in an interview with BCCI, expressed his excitement and sense of responsibility in taking on this new role. “I have always enjoyed being a leader on the field, even when I wasn’t the captain. I’ve learned a lot from various captains. This opportunity is special, especially since I played under Gambhir at KKR in 2014, which opened up many doors for me. Our relationship remains strong,” he said.
