Ahead of the IPL 2024 season, Hardik Pandya, who completed a high-profile trade from Gujarat Titans (GT) to Mumbai Indians (MI), replaced Rohit Sharma as skipper of the five-time champions.
However, the all-rounder failed to create an impact as captain. The five-time champions finished the season at the bottom of the points table and became the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs race.
Soon after the IPL, Hardik played under Rohit’s captaincy at T20 World Cup and turned out to be a key figure in India’s triumphant campaign.
Two months after the T20 World Cup, it has come to the fore how Hardik and Rohit put their differences aside and came together for India at the mega event in the USA and West Indies.
Speaking on 2 Sloggers Podcast, veteran sports journalist Vimal Kumar revealed that he saw up front how Rohit and Hardik sorted out their issues during long chat.
"When I went to the nets, I noticed what was going on between Hardik and Rohit. On the first day, they didn't speak and were away from each other. But by the second day, I saw them come over, one after the other, and sit together in a corner, talking for a long time. That moment for me defined this team. There was no camera there; nothing. The way Rohit and Hardik were talking, I was like 'what am I watching?'," Vimal said.
"There is so much going on in India with the public talking about their differences. After that, for the next three days, Rohit and Hardik would bat parallelly. And then Rohit would point out about his batting, bowling. When I saw that atmosphere and thought if they addressed such a complex issue, the elephant in the room. That vibe I saw demonstrated how relaxed the team atmosphere was," he added.
The journalist also praised former India head coach Rahul Dravid for handling such a volatile situation between the two stars.
"The full credit goes to Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma for this. The way he handled the big guys – Virat, Hardik, Rohit – I think Rahul Dravid has a lot to do with it. Everyone gelled together. That was the leadership I had confidence in," he said.
