Mumbai Indians skipper captain Hardik Pandya broke his silence on the captaincy change controversy which has sparked a new debate within the cricket fraternity. In a press conference organised by the Mumbai Indians on Monday, Hardik said that he isn't expecting anything awkward between him and Rohit. "It's a surreal feeling to be back. Everything that I have known since 2015 has been through this journey. I never thought I'd reach here, and looking forward to playing at the Wankhede, my favourite ground," Hardik said on his comeback.
When asked about the captaincy change, the all-rounder said that he expects Rohit's hand on his shoulder whenever he feels the need."Rohit Sharma is Captain of Team India which helps me, what this team has achieved, was achieved under his leadership and I just carry forward. I played whole career under him and I know he will always have his hand on my shoulder," he said.Hardik also confirmed that he will be bowling for MI in this season, having previously resorted to being only a batter because of injury concerns."I will be bowling. I respect the fans' emotions but I can only control the controllable. I respect them but I will focus on what I can be doing (as captain)," he said.In a move that shocked the cricket fraternity, Mumbai Indians announced Hardik Pandya as their captain for IPL 2024 after he was traded in from Gujarat Titans. While the historic trade deal itself came as a surprise, Hardik taking over from Rohit left Mumbai Indians fans divided.In fact, a large section of fans expressed their disappointment at Rohit Sharma losing captaincy and the social media followers of the 5-time champions dipped after the announcement.
