Delhi Capitals Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly spoke about the scrutiny faced by Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya since his appointment as the Mumbai Indians captain, replacing six-time IPL champion Rohit Sharma. Pandya was traded to the Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans in an all-cash deal in late 2023.
Pandya was then named the captain of the Mumbai Indians and has since faced constant criticism. Pandya's first match as the new captain was against Gujarat Titans in Ahemadabad where the crowd continuously booed him. Since that fixture, this trend continued in Hyderabad and also in Mumbai. These boos were further stimulated by MI's poor start to the 2024 season with the team suffering three straight losses.
It's not Hardik's fault: Ganguly on MI captaincy saga
Speaking about Hardik Pandya in the press conference ahead of the MI vs DC game, Ganguly said, "The franchise has appointed him as captain. This is what happens in sports when you captain the country or a state... If we see Rohit Sharma, he has a different class. His performance as a captain and player for the franchise and for India has been on a different level. It's not Hardik's fault that he has been appointed as Captain."
Suryakumar Yadav joins MI squad ahead of MI vs DC
Further talking about the Mumbai-Delhi game, MI were handed a major boost as Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav joined the squad after completing his injury rehab at the National Cricket Association. Yadav was recovering from an ankle injury and a sports hernia before being fit for the IPL.