Hardik Pandya’s return to the Mumbai Indians (MI) as captain in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 has been met with mixed results. Despite being touted as India’s future leader, Pandya’s MI side has struggled, currently languishing at eighth place in the points table with only one win in four matches.
Pandya, who led the Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in their debut season, faces the challenge of rebuilding MI’s momentum. His IPL captaincy is seen as a crucial step in his development as a leader, with former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu labeling him “the future” of Indian cricket.
Sidhu believes Pandya’s experience as India’s T20I vice-captain makes him a natural choice for leadership roles. He also backs pacer Jasprit Bumrah for Test cricket captaincy, citing his performance and resilience.
MI’s upcoming fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be a crucial test for Pandya’s captaincy. A win could revive their IPL 2024 campaign and boost Pandya’s credentials as a future leader.
