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In a video recorded by fans, Rohit Sharma was seen seated next to what looks like Mumbai Indians owner Akash Ambani inside a car ahead of the team’s IPL 2024 tie against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 11. Rohit, the ex-MI captain was in the passenger’s seat, while Akash is believed to be behind the wheels as the car stopped at the Wankhede stadium ahead of Thursday’s blockbuster clash. While the face of the person driving the car isn’t clearly visible, the physical feature bears a striking resemblance to the MI owner.
The short clip was shared by users all over on X, leading to speculations that something big could be brewing within the MI camp. The video comes at a time when MI are in the middle of a bit of an upheaval. Not having the best of campaigns, MI have lost three out of four matches in IPL 2024, with their only win coming against the Delhi Capitals.
Heavily marred by the Hardik Pandya captaincy controversy, MI have also been bearing the brunt of fans demanding Rohit back as captain. And with a video of the two emerging, the belief is that something’s got to give, including the possibility of Rohit getting back MI’s captaincy mid-season.
Watch the video below:
This isn’t the first time Rohit and Akash were seen together. Earlier, after MI’s loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad – second under Hardik – the two were in the middle of an intense chat at the MI dugout.
This Rohit-Hardik swap is a theory that has been backed by several former cricketers too. Former India and Bengal batter Manoj Tiwary has an inkling that if MI’s fortunes don’t change soon, it’s very much possible for Rohit to be handed back the captaincy. In 2022, Chennai Super Kings did something similar. Two days ahead of CSK’s IPL opener, news broke that Ravindra Jadeja had replaced MS Dhoni as captain, but after the team endured five defeats in a row, Dhoni was back in charge. Whether MI goes down the same road remains to be seen but the internal belief is that it may not be the immediate plan.
How Hardik’s return to MI upset fans
Hardik’s return to MI after spending two fruitful years at Gujarat Titans was confirmed in November of last year in an all-cash trade. While fans were welcoming of this move, they didn’t take kindly to MI appointing Hardik as captain, and bringing Rohit’s decade-long and legendary captaincy stint to an abrupt end. MI hadn’t won the IPL in three years, and the management believed that Hardik, who had led GT to successive IPL finals, would bring back MI’s glory days, but the fans simply didn’t warm up to the idea.
The backlash that began on the day of Hardik’s captaincy announcement continues till date. Hardik was booed in Ahmedabad where MI began their season against GT, and jeered even louder in Hyderabad and Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. The crowd animosity towards Hardik was so much that it needed an intervention from Sanjay Manjrekar as he instructed the crowd to ‘behave’.
And still it wasn’t enough. As MI lost three on the bounce, tension escalated before the team dispersed for a regrouping exercise during a six-day break. And on returning, MI finally got off the mark with a solid 29-run win over the Capitals. The booing reduced, but it still exists. Whether it will subside gradually or entirely… no one knows. But the one move that will surely replace the booing with cheering is Rohit back as captain.
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