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IPL 2024 Cricket

'MI's fortune changer' - Fans react as Rohit Sharma completes 13 years of illustrious journey with Mumbai Indians

Rohit Sharma's successful 10-year reign as MI's leader came to an end as the franchise appointed Hardik Pandey as their new captain ahead of the 2024 IPL mini-auction.

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Mathew K
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Rohit Sharma (Source: Twitter)

Rohit Sharma (Source: Twitter)

On this day in 2011, Rohit Sharma started his journey with Mumbai Indians (MI) as he was bought by the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. Rohit spent four years with former champions Deccan Chargers but moved to star-studded MI for $2 million on January 8 - a million-dollar move indeed. 13 years ago, the franchise may not have realised they had acquired the man who would turn the team's fortunes around. 

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Rohit joined MI to contribute to their batting department, but considering his potential, the Mumbai-based franchise gave him a leadership role. The team endured a rough patch under the captaincy of Ricky Ponting in the 2013 season, with the legendary Aussie skipper having to hand over the baton to the then 23-year-old. It was an epic move as the local cricketer led his side to glory on his captaincy debut.

He did not stop there and added four more trophies to the cabinet in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 editions. Notably, Rohit and Co. also won the Champions League T20 in 2013. It is worth noting that the heroes of Indian cricket like Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya have flourished under his guidance. 

MI took to its social media handle to celebrate 12 years of Rohit. "13 years ago, Rohit turned Blue & Gold," the franchise captioned a picture of the 35-year-old in MI kit. 

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Was it a good move for MI to remove Rohit as captain?

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Rohit Sharma's successful 10-year reign as MI's leader came to an end as the franchise appointed Hardik Pandey as their new captain ahead of the 2024 IPL mini-auction. Pandya returned to the side after a massive all-cash trade deal with Gujarat Titans (GT). The decision to remove Rohit, who made MI one of the most successful franchises, was not accepted by their fans and its after effects were visible both online and offline. 

MI later posted an emotional video on their social media handle, paying tribute to the veteran opener's services over the years. “Ro, In 2013 you took over as captain of MI. You asked us to believe. In victories and defeats, you asked us to smile. 10 years & 6 trophies later, here we are. Our forever captain, your legacy will be etched in Blue & Gold. Thank you, Captain RO,” the franchise wrote.

Here's how fans reacted: 

Mumbai Indians Rohit Sharma featured IPL 2024