BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla recently addressed the strong reactions from fans after the Mumbai Indians (MI) handed the captaincy to Hardik Pandya ahead of the 2024 IPL season. Pandya had earlier led the Gujarat Titans in 2022 and 2023 before MI secured his return for a massive INR 15 crore deal. However, his appointment was met with criticism, and he was even booed by fans at Wankhede Stadium for taking over Rohit’s position as skipper.

Acknowledging the backlash, Shukla noted that Rohit’s loyal fan base wasn’t happy with the change but praised Hardik for showing maturity and concentrating on his performance instead of getting distracted by outside noise.

“When situations like this arise, the BCCI does step in to reassure players not to be concerned. In Hardik’s case, some of Rohit Sharma’s fan base did not like it. But that chapter is closed. Neither did Rohit provoke him, and Hardik was fully aware that such reactions could come. He showed maturity, stayed composed, and didn’t let emotions get the better of him. Eventually, once performances follow, fans themselves begin to cheer again,” he said during an interview on the UPT20 League’s YouTube channel (41:12).

Hardik’s first year as MI captain in 2024 turned out to be tough, with the team finishing at the bottom of the table. But in 2025, Mumbai staged a revival, reaching the playoffs before being knocked out in the second qualifier.