IPL 2024: Mumbai Indians explains why Hardik replaced Rohit as captain

Removing Rohit as a skipper was a pure cricketing decision for Mumbai Indians explained head coach Mark Boucher

Rohit Sharma was replaced as captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI) By Hardik Pandya after a huge week of hype before the Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL 2024) auction. This came as a huge upset for Mumbai Indians and Rohit Sharma's fan. There were effigies burnt and memes made to discredit the owners and in support of Rohit being thrown away from captaincy. 

However, Mark Boucher, the coach of the Mumbai side has explained that it was a pure cricketing decision taken to enhance Rohit’s ability as a player at this point in his career. 

Purely a cricketing decision to remove Rohit as captain: Boucher

Boucher, a former South Africa wicket-keeper batter said that in India people get emotionally attached to teams and players, but as coaches, the decision that they had to make was based purely on the cricketing logic. Hardik Pandya was brought back to the MI set up as a player in the transition phase of the team.

"I think it will bring the best out of Rohit as a player. Just let him go out and enjoy and score some good runs," Boucher was quoted as saying to the Smash Sports podcast.

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We want Rohit to enjoy as a player

Boucher further said that Rohit has done well as a leader of the side be it for MI or Team India. But the MI head coach feels that with the bat he has been lacking for the past few seasons. That is why the burden was taken off him to let him enjoy himself as a player. 

"He thought that maybe this is the opportunity for him to step in as a player. We believe he got some great value to add and just go out there and enjoy it without the hype of being a captain," Boucher said. 

“He is still going to captain India so that hype's going to be there but when he steps into the IPL maybe just take that extra bit of pressure off him as a captain and maybe we get the best out of Rohit Sharma,” he added.  

Comparison between Rohit and Hardik's captaincy in IPL 

Player	Matches	Won	Lost	Tied	Win%	Runs	Avg	SR
Rohit Sharma	158	87	67	4	55.06%	3986	30.25	129.37
Hardik Pandya	31	22	9	0	70.97%	833	37.86	133.49

Hardik Pandya a Mumbai Indians boy 

Boucher also praised Pandya for making a name for himself by winning the final in his and his side’s inaugural season in the IPL and making back-to-back finals as captain. But to the South African, the all-rounder is by heart and soul a ‘Mumbai Boy’

"He is a Mumbai Indians boy. He went to another franchise, won the title in his first year, and ended up runner-up in his second year. So there's some very good leadership skills as well," he said. 

The IPL 2024 could be the first outing for Pandya who is recovering from an ankle injury that he picked up during the first half of the ODI World Cup 2023. 

Hardik Pandya batting & fielding Stats yearwise
YEAR	MAT	NO	RUNS	HS	AVG	BF	SR	100	50	4S	6S	CT	ST
Career	123	39	2309	91	30.38	1583	145.86	0	10	172	125	65	0
2023	16	4	346	66	31.45	253	136.76	0	2	26	15	8	0
2022	15	4	487	87*	44.27	371	131.27	0	4	49	12	4	0
2021	12	2	127	40*	14.11	112	113.39	0	0	11	5	4	0
2020	14	5	281	60*	35.12	157	178.98	0	1	14	25	6	0
2019	16	6	402	91	44.66	210	191.42	0	1	28	29	11	0
2018	13	4	260	50	28.88	195	133.33	0	1	20	11	8	0
2017	17	9	250	35*	35.71	160	156.25	0	0	11	20	12	0
2016	11	2	44	9	6.28	63	69.84	0	0	4	0	6	0
2015	9	3	112	61*	22.4	62	180.64	0	1	9	8	6	0

Hardik Pandya’s bowling stats yearwise
YEAR	MAT	BALLS	RUNS	WKTS	BBM	AVE	ECON	SR	4W	5W
Career	123	1202	1763	53	3/17	33.26	8.8	22.68	0	0
2023	16	150	228	3	1/10	76	9.12	50	0	0
2022	15	183	222	8	3/17	27.75	7.28	22.88	0	0
2021	12	0	0	0	-	-	-	-	0	0
2020	14	0	0	0	-	-	-	-	0	0
2019	16	255	390	14	3/20	27.85	9.17	18.21	0	0
2018	13	256	381	18	3/24	21.16	8.92	14.22	0	0
2017	17	156	213	6	2/22	35.5	8.19	26	0	0
2016	11	100	153	3	1/7	51	9.18	33.33	0	0
2015	9	102	176	1	1/13	176	10.35	102	0	0

Rohit Sharma IPL runs

Rohit Sharma's form did faltered in the previous two seasons of the IPL. He has also missed many games for the franchise due to injury.

Rohit Sharma’s batting & fielding Stats year-wise
YEAR	MAT	NO	RUNS	HS	AVG	BF	SR	100	50	4S	6S	CT	ST
Career	243	28	6211	109*	29.58	4776	130.05	1	42	554	257	98	0
2023	16	0	332	65	20.75	250	132.8	0	2	35	17	1	0
2022	14	0	268	48	19.14	223	120.18	0	0	28	13	7	0
2021	13	0	381	63	29.3	299	127.42	0	1	33	14	1	0
2020	12	0	332	80	27.66	260	127.69	0	3	27	19	6	0
2019	15	1	405	67	28.92	315	128.57	0	2	52	10	4	0
2018	14	2	286	94	23.83	215	133.02	0	2	25	12	8	0
2017	17	2	333	67	23.78	273	121.97	0	3	31	9	10	0
2016	14	3	489	85*	44.45	368	132.88	0	5	49	16	2	0
2015	16	2	482	98*	34.42	333	144.74	0	3	41	21	5	0
2014	15	2	390	59*	30	302	129.13	0	3	31	16	5	0
2013	19	5	538	79*	38.42	409	131.54	0	4	35	28	7	0
2012	17	2	433	109*	30.92	342	126.6	1	3	39	18	13	0
2011	16	3	372	87	33.81	297	125.25	0	3	32	13	7	0
2010	16	2	404	73	28.85	302	133.77	0	3	36	14	9	0
2009	16	3	362	52	27.84	315	114.92	0	1	22	18	5	0
2008	13	1	404	76*	36.72	273	147.98	0	4	38	19	8	0