Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, who will lead the team for the first time in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), said he wants to play a brand of cricket that “no one will forget”. MI sparked a huge controversy after the five-time champions decided to replace Rohit Sharma with Hardik as captain. There are rumors that there may be a rift between Rohit and the man who replaces Hardik. While the focus ahead of the new season has been on Hardik, the all-rounder has promised MI fans that they will work hard to play a brand of cricket that makes everyone proud.

“The feeling of wearing these colors is very special to me. The journey starts here and it’s always special to come home and play. We will make sure that we will play a brand of cricket that everyone can be proud of and, at the same time, It will be a journey that no one will forget,” Pandya said in a video released by MI.

Hardik returned to MI after two seasons with GT and led the team to its first IPL title in 2022, the league’s inaugural season.

Last season, he led GT to a second-place finish, losing to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final.

Even as the move to replace Rohit as captain faced a backlash from fans, MI head coach Mark Boucher has backed Hardik to perform well in his first season as captain of the team.

“He (Pandya) certainly knows the dressing room better than I do. It’s like a homecoming for a few guys. He’s settled in really well and is excited about the season. We’re looking forward to him coming back and winning some games again Serve Mumbai Indians,” Boucher said in another video released by MI.

“When every season starts, everyone is really excited. There are some new faces around, so there’s also a bit of nerves. We want to be ready for the start of the season,” he added.