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'They might bench Rohit Sharma': Mumbai Indians' unusual social media post triggers conspiracy theories
Mumbai Indians had announced Hardik Pandya as the franchise's new captain last month, ending Rohit Sharma's reign.
In recent months, the Mumbai Indians have been at the centre of numerous social media debates concerning the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise sparked discussions when they announced the return of Hardik Pandya to their squad after a two-year absence, having been released by the team after the 2021 season; Pandya went on to captain the Gujarat Titans to title victory in his first season with the new franchise. Mumbai Indians, however, not only decided to bring Pandya back; the franchise also elevated him to the captaincy role, ending Rohit Sharma's highly successful tenure at the helm of the side.
This shift in captaincy has added a layer of complexity to the dynamics within the Mumbai Indians' fan base. While the team's decision-makers opted for change, it is evident that not all fans are on board with the new direction.
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Despite Rohit Sharma remaining with the Mumbai Indians, a significant portion of the team's fanbase appeared dissatisfied with the decision, as evidenced by a recent post on the franchise's official social media account. The Mumbai Indians shared a graphic featuring India's squad for the first two Tests against England, announced on Friday. Interestingly, although Rohit Sharma was named as the captain, KL Rahul was placed at the forefront of the graphic, with Mumbai Indians' Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer featuring prominently.
The absence of Rohit Sharma in the visual representation led to criticism from fans, highlighting the ongoing discontent among a section of the Mumbai Indians' supporter base.
Here's how the fans reacted:
Despite being removed from IPL captaincy, Rohit Sharma returned to the leadership role for the Indian T20I team in the series against Afghanistan. Rohit marked his return to the T20I setup after a hiatus of over 14 months; alongside him, Virat Kohli also returned to the squad as the team gears up for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.
