Ritika Sajdeh expressed her dissatisfaction with Mark Boucher’s explanation regarding the replacement of Rohit Sharma by Hardik Pandya as captain.
Hardik Pandya took over the captaincy of Mumbai Indians from Rohit Sharma, a decision that did not sit well with Ritika Sajdeh. (Image via ESPN)
On December 15th, Mumbai Indians announced the appointment of Hardik Pandya as their new captain, replacing the highly successful Rohit Sharma, who had led the team to five IPL titles. This move sparked anger among many fans who had supported the team primarily because of Sharma’s leadership. The decision to replace the 37-year-old Sharma, who had played a crucial role in the team’s success, left some questioning the rationale behind it.
Mark Boucher, the head coach of Mumbai Indians, provided an explanation for the decision to make Pandya the new captain. Boucher stated that it was a transitional phase and the team wanted to relieve some pressure from Sharma in order to bring out the best in him as a player. The intention was to allow Sharma to enjoy his game and focus on scoring runs without the added responsibilities of captaincy. Boucher acknowledged that Sharma had faced some struggles with the bat in recent seasons but had performed well as a captain.
Boucher’s interview, in which he elaborated on the decision, was shared on Instagram. Ritika Sajdeh, upon seeing the interview, left a comment expressing her belief that there were several issues with the decision.
Following Ritika Sajdeh’s comment, many fans reacted to her statement. Some joked about how she had immediately begun engaging in public relations activities after Sharma’s removal as captain. Others expressed satisfaction with the problems faced by the team.
It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds for Hardik Pandya, with some fans predicting negative articles and tweets similar to the scrutiny faced by Virat Kohli.
The notion of Mumbai Indians being a united family was called into question by some fans.
Rohit Sharma has been a great leader for Mumbai Indians, and the transition could have been handled more smoothly. The manner in which it unfolded left a negative impression.
Ritika Sajdeh’s return to the public eye was seen as a PR move by some fans.
Sharma was appointed as the captain of Mumbai Indians during the 2013 IPL season and went on to lead the team to five IPL titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.