All is not well in Mumbai Indians dressing room

The Mumbai Indians camp seems to be unhappy. This was evident from Rohit Sharma’s chat video with KKR assistant coach Abhishek Nayar where both are seen engaged in an intense conversation.

In the video, which was soon been deleted by the KKR team — perhaps at the instruction of the Indian cricket board — Rohit and Nayar could be heard talking about ‘things changing’. At the end of the video, Rohit Sharma also said that “it’s his last”.

Though the context of the conversation isn’t known, fans suggested that the two could’ve talked about the current situation at Mumbai Indians, especially Hardik Pandya’s appointment as skipper.

“Everything is changing one by one... It’s on them... Whatever, but it’s my home brother..., it’s the temple that I constructed. Brother, this is my last anyway”, former MI skipper Rohit Sharma has said in Hindi. May be Sharma suggested this is his last year with the MI team.

The Hardik factor

According to former India cricketer, Karsan Ghavri, Hardik Pandya is a total failure. Speaking exclusively, he said, “Hardik Pandya as MI captain is a total disaster. He had no idea how to lead the team, no game plans, no strategy, no man management, no performance as a batter or a bowler. The MI team made the biggest blunder by making him a captain and that’s the downfall of the team. Arrogance and high handedness can’t manage the team on field as he took 2 steps backward and 1 step in the front.”

Another player from Pandya’s state team, Baroda, Jacob Martin, who has played 10 ODIs and 138 First Class matches, also echoed the same views. “Last year Hardik was a success with the Gujarat team but he should have been made a vice captain in MI team instead of asking him to lead the side which has several senior players. He should have been given an opportunity to be groomed under Rohit Sharma. Rohit is an experienced player and Hardik is nowhere near him. Before giving Hardik a bigger platform, it would have been a wiser decision to play under Rohit”.

A few days ago, a report emerged suggesting that multiple senior players in the Mumbai Indians team aren’t happy with Hardik Pandya's captaincy. In fact, the senior stars also reportedly said that Hardik’s style of captaincy doesn’t create the required ‘buzz’ in the MI dressing room.

Statistically speaking, Hardik Pandya has played mere 2 Ranji Trophy matches in his career now, only 2 Vijay Hazare (50-over inter state BCCI tournament) and not played a single Mushtaq Ali T-20 match till date.  

The MI team is knocked out of the ongoing season. The question mark looms large over the captaincy next year.

“Certainly Rohit should have been made the captain but I don’t think he will accept it now — he should not. After all, he is Team India captain. Self respect is higher than anything else. In fact when he was dropped as a captain, he should have told the management not to pick him for MI as a player even! But money makes the noise louder than packed stadium,” Ghavri stated.

Hardik Pandya as MI captain is a total disaster. He had no idea how to lead the team, no game plans, no strategy, no man management, no performance as a batter or a bowler. The MI team made the biggest blunder by making him a captain and that’s the downfall of the team.” — Karsan Ghavri, former India cricketer

Last year Hardik was a success with the Gujarat team but he should have been made a vice captain in MI team instead of asking him to lead the side which has several senior players. He should have been given an opportunity to be groomed under Rohit Sharma. Rohit is an experienced player and Hardik is nowhere near him. It would have been a wiser decision to play under Rohit”. — Jacob Martin, former first class player from Baroda

“Everything is changing one by one... It’s on them... Whatever, but it’s my home brother..., it’s the temple that I constructed. Brother, this is my last anyway”, former MI skipper Rohit Sharma said in Hindi. May be Sharma suggested this is his last year with the MI team.