3 reasons why Hardik Pandya can guide Mumbai Indians to their 6th IPL title in 2024

Mumbai Indians shocked everyone when they announced Hardik Pandya’s return to the franchise, not just as a player but also as a captain. It was a massive decision as replacing Rohit Sharma, a 5-time IPL winning captain, was certainly going to draw criticism. But the management has shown spine and stuck to their decision. Now let us take a look at 3 reasons why this decision can pay off for Mumbai Indians. 

Incredible captaincy record

When Hardik Pandya left Mumbai Indians in 2022 and took up the captaincy of Gujarat Titans there were a lot of reservations about that shift. But the all-rounder alleviated any doubt over his leadership credentials by leading Gujarat Titans to the title in the very first attempt. In the second season as a captain, he guided his franchise to a second consecutive final debunking the idea that Gujarat’s glory in 2022 was a fluke. Mumbai Indians have given a chance to a proven captain and he can certainly lead the side to another trophy.

Has been in the Paltan before

One of the biggest advantages of bringing back Hardik Pandya to the Mumbai fold is that he has been a part of the franchise before. The star all-rounder played for Mumbai from 2015 to 2021 and in that period, he was instrumental in the astronomical success of the franchise. Familiarity with the setup is one of the most important factors for a leader to succeed. The fact that Hardik is well aware of how things work at MI will help him a lot in his new adventure. 

Believes in building a thriving environment

In the 2022 season, Gujarat Titans did not have a star-studded team. They had two or three big players but apart from that the squad was made up of underrated players. Before that season not many had given a chance to Gujarat but the franchise ended up being the champions under Hardik’s leadership. He was successful in building an environment in the team that helped each player thrive under pressure. This leadership quality will help Mumbai in making another championship-winning unit.