It was the five-time champions Mumbai Indians who turned Hardik Pandya into a superstar of world cricket. The management did not hesitate even a bit to remove Rohit Sharma—the most successful captain in terms of numbers—to place Hardik in the leader’s seat. That very Mumbai Indians management is now furious with Hardik. His removal from leadership in the near future is almost certain. Not just leadership, the possibility of him being dropped from the team altogether has also become starkly apparent. This time, Mumbai had to conclude their IPL campaign languishing in the ninth position. Winning only four out of 14 matches is a shameful performance for a star-studded team like Mumbai Indians. Hardik’s dismal leadership was one of the prime reasons for this poor performance. Towards the end of the league stage, infighting had broken out within the team because of Hardik. Even off the field, Hardik remained a controversial figure.
The Board (BCCI) even had to caution the star player. Such controversies have damaged the team’s reputation. Hardik failed in his individual performance as well. He scored just 206 runs with the bat and took 4 wickets in bowling. As an all-rounder, this is an extremely weak performance. Anticipating the situation beforehand, Hardik Pandya himself has dropped a hint to the team. According to discussions on social media, Hardik’s destination is Chennai. However, a controversial player like him could turn out to be a thorn in the bed for Chennai too. If he leaves Mumbai, the path to the end of his career might also begin.
