‘Always gets tough as you get old’ – Yuvraj Singh on Rohit Sharma vs Hardik Pandya captaincy debate

Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

Mumbai Indians (MI) became a subject of discussion after the five-time champions appointed Hardik Pandya as their captain for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). This marked the end of the Rohit Sharma era who has been leading the Mumbai-based franchise since 2013. The legendary opener led MI to five IPL titles, making him the most successful captain in the history of the lucrative league, a record he shares with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni.

Hardik was traded to Mumbai from Gujarat Titans (GT) in a jaw-dropping deal despite leading the Ashish Nehra-coached side to back-to-back finals. MI last won an IPL title in 2020 and the move may be made because they wanted to bring about a change in the forthcoming season. Meanwhile, former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh opened up about his take on the captaincy debate, stating things will be difficult when a player gets old and the franchises will count on youngsters. He also stated that he had faced the same situation but he feels “there can’t be a replacement for experience.”

“In franchise cricket, it always gets tough as you get old. Every franchise is always looking to promote a young player on whom they have spent a lot, and that is only fair. I have faced this situation too. But then, there can’t be a replacement for experience. Rohit has huge experience and has delivered. But a franchise has to think long term,” Yuvraj told Times of India.

Apart from Rohit, Virat Kohli also faces tough competition from a group of youngsters with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, and Shivam Dube, among others in India’s T20I setup. While mentioning this, Yuvraj still believes Rohit and Kohli can play their part in the game’s shortest format.

“A number of young players have been doing very well in T20s. Having said that, there can be no replacement for experience either,” the 43-year-old added.