Former Mumbai Indians (MI) batsman Ambati Rayudu offered words of encouragement to captain Hardik Pandya after the five-time champions slumped to their third consecutive defeat to start the 2024 IPL season.
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Pandya, who took over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma ahead of the season, is yet to register a win in his new role. The team started with a six-run defeat to the Gujarat Titans before losing to the Sunrisers Hyderabad by 31 runs in a high-scoring encounter. Their struggles continued in their home opener against the Rajasthan Royals at Wankhede Stadium on Monday, April 1, where they fell short by five runs.
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Rayudu, now part of the IPL commentary team, was seen visiting the MI dugout and consoling a visibly disappointed Pandya after the match. Rayudu, a six-time IPL champion (tied with Rohit Sharma for most titles), played for MI from 2010 to 2017, contributing significantly to their title wins in 2013, 2015, and 2017. He was then acquired by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2018 mega-auction and became a key player in their batting lineup, helping them win the IPL in 2018, 2021, and 2023 under MS Dhoni's captaincy.
The 2024 edition marks the first IPL season in 15 years where Rayudu isn't playing, having retired from the league after CSK's victory over the Gujarat Titans in the 2023 IPL final in Ahmedabad. Rayudu was a senior player when Pandya joined MI in 2015, and the two were teammates for three seasons. They have also represented India together.
Pandya has faced criticism from fans around the country following his move from the Gujarat Titans, where he served as their first captain and led them to two IPL finals, including a title win in 2022. While Gujarat Titans fans are upset with his departure, MI fans have expressed disappointment with him replacing Rohit Sharma as captain. Rohit led MI for a decade (2013-2023), during which the franchise secured all five of its IPL titles.
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