New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has lauded the legacy left behind by Rohit Sharma as the captain of the Mumbai Indians, drawing parallels with the iconic stature of MS Dhoni in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
As the era of Rohit Sharma’s captaincy with the Mumbai Indians concluded, a new chapter began with the franchise naming Hardik Pandya as the new captain for the team on December 15. This transition not only marked a change in leadership but also signalled the end of an era where Rohit had led the team to unprecedented heights.
In a conversation in Star Sports, Irfan Pathan highlighted the similarities between Rohit Sharma’s influence on the Mumbai Indians and the legendary MS Dhoni’s iconic presence in CSK. According to Pathan, both captains played pivotal roles as captains, contributing to their team’s success through dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment to team meetings.
“Rohit Sharma has huge stature in the team. For me, Rohit Sharma’s stature among Mumbai Indians is similar to that of Dhoni’s stature at CSK. Rohit Sharma has built the team with blood and sweat as captain; he has contributed a lot and is always involved in the team meetings,” remarked Irfan on Star Sports.
In the annals of IPL history, Rohit and Dhoni share the title of the most successful captains. Rohit, who took over the captaincy midway through the 2013 season, led the Mumbai Indians to their maiden championship victory against CSK in a thrilling final. Subsequent years witnessed multiple triumphs under Rohit’s captaincy in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
Irfan Pathan also extended his support for the decision to appoint Hardik Pandya as the new captain and acknowledged the challenges that awaited him. With experienced players like Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and the seasoned Rohit on the Mumbai Indians’ roster, Pathan recognised the complexity of Hardik’s task.
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