Five-time champions Mumbai Indians posted an emotional message for Rohit Sharma after his stint as captain came to an end in the Indian Premier League (IPL). They remembered all the positive lessons he taught and expressed their gratitude to him.
Rohit Sharma’s 10-year stint as captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI) came to an end after the franchise named Hardik Pandya as team captain on Friday (December 15). This marked the end of an era as whatever franchise is today is because of Rohit.
A youngster took charge of the team in 2013 and then changed the dynamic of Mumbai Indians. Taking over from Ricky Ponting in mid-2013, he guided the team to the IPL trophy in the first year and then did not look back to make the team more successful in the tournament.
Rohit Sharma led the team to win titles in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 and apart from that, he also won a Champions League title. His legacy as captain in the tournament will be unmatched since he was the first leader to win 5 titles and he did so in just 10 years.
Mumbai Indians released a heartwarming video for Rohit Sharma, highlighting their memories and mentioning how in the ups and downs the captain asked them to smile. They added that she would be his captain forever.
“Ro, in 2013 you took over as captain of MI. You asked us to believe. In victories and defeats, you asked us to smile. Ten years and 6 trophies later, here we are. Our captain forever, his legacy will be etched in blue and gold. Thank you, Captain RO.”
Ro, In 2013 you took over as captain of MI. You asked us to do it. In victories and defeats, you asked us to . Ten years and 6 trophies later, here we are. Our , his legacy will be etched in blue and gold. Thank you, 💙 pic.twitter.com/KDIPCkIVop
– Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) December 15, 2023
We express our gratitude to Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership – Mahela Jayawardena
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardena spoke about the development and said that they express their gratitude towards Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership. While he highlighted Rohit’s success, he stated:
“We express our gratitude to Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership; His tenure as 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 greatest captains in the history of the IPL. Under his leadership, MI became one of the most successful and beloved teams of all time. We look forward to his guidance and experience on and off the field to further strengthen MI.”
Hardik Pandya made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians and played for 7 long seasons for them. After that, he moved to Gujarat Titans and won the title. He was recently traded to Mumbai Indians for 15 crores.