The news comes after Pandya completed a historic transfer from Gujarat Titans back to Mumbai Indians ahead of the auction for next year’s tournament. Pandya left Mumbai Indians in 2021 and moved to Gujarat Titans, captaining them to win the competition in their debut season. They finished as runners-up last year, losing out to Chennai Super Kings in the final.

Pandya’s promotion means Rohit will step down as leader of the franchise after a decade at the helm. He joined Mumbai Indians in 2011 and was made captain in 2013. Under his leadership, Mumbai Indians have won five IPL trophies, the most recent of which came in 2020. Despite that success, the side have struggled in recent years and finished bottom of the table in 2022. Although they made the play-offs in 2023, they were knocked out in the Eliminator by Gujarat Titans. Rohit will continue to play for the side, having been retained by them ahead of the 2024 auction.

In a press release circulated on Mumbai Indians’ social media feeds, head coach Mahela Jayawardene was quoted as saying on the news: “It is part of legacy building and staying true to the MI philosophy of being future-ready. Mumbai Indians have always been blessed with exceptional leadership right from Sachin to Harbhajan and Ricky to Rohit, who while contributing to the immediate success have always had an eye on strengthening the team for the future. It is in keeping with this philosophy that Hardik Pandya will assume captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season.

“We express our gratitude to Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership; his tenure as the captain of the Mumbai Indians since 2013 has been nothing short of extraordinary. His leadership has not only brought unparalleled success to the team but has also solidified his place as one of the finest captains in the history of the IPL. Under his guidance, MI became one of the most successful and loved teams ever. We will look forward to his guidance and experience on and off the field to further strengthen MI. We welcome Hardik Pandya as the new captain of MI and wish him all the very best.”