"Rohit Sharma's fans didn't like it" - BCCI vice president makes bold statement on Hardik Pandya's captaincy

The BCCI vice president has weighed in on the appointment of Mumbai Indians’ new captain, Hardik Pandya.

Details: In 2024, Hardik Pandya was named captain of the Mumbai Indians after his sensational transfer from the Gujarat Titans for 150 million rupees that same year. Notably, he replaced Rohit Sharma as skipper.

BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla commented on the situation:

When incidents like this happen, people in the BCCI reach out to players to reassure them. In Hardik’s case, Rohit Sharma’s fans didn’t like it. But the decision was made. Rohit never provoked him, and Hardik always knew this could happen and handled it with maturity. He didn’t let it affect him or get carried away emotionally. Then, once you start performing, the fans themselves start applauding again.

Rohit Sharma remains one of the most successful leaders in the Indian Premier League. For Hardik, however, the start of his captaincy was rocky: in 2024, the Mumbai Indians finished last in the points table, but managed a comeback in 2025 by making the playoffs, where they lost in the second round.

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