Five-time Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians are off to a terrible start in the IPL 2024 having lost their first two matches against Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
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In their tournament opener, MI failed to chase a humble target of 169 runs while in the second game, they conceded a record 277 runs against SRH and lost the tie by 31 runs eventually.
Ahead of the 17th season of the IPL, MI brought back Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans and offered him the team's captaincy, thereby removing five-time title-winning skipper Rohit Sharma.
The decision by the owners faced massive backlash among fans of the franchise who were and are still unhappy with the decision to remove a senior player and consistent performer like Sharma from the leadership role.
Are MI players and team management divided over captaincy after poor start to IPL 2024?
Since MI's very first game against GT, fans across the world have expressed their displeasure on social media over Panyda taking charge of the team.
At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, he was jeered by both GT and MI fans. While GT fans' anger was somewhat justified as he had left their side after just two seasons, it is the MI fans' reaction that has surprised many.
There was also an incident of a Hardik Pandya fan getting beaten by a group of Rohit Sharma fans inside the stadium whose video went viral on social media.
MORE: Rohit Sharma sends Hardik Pandya to field on the boundary
Now according to Dainik Jagran, it is not just the fans who are divided into camps but the rivalry and the clash of egos have entered the MI squad.
The report claims that the players and team management are allegedly divided into two camps with players like Tilav Varma, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah siding with Sharma. Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, is reportedly in Pandya's camp.
Rohit Sharma’s silence is responsible for Mumbai Indians implosion, like a seasoned politician he kept quiet while the World trolled & spread hatred towards Hardik Pandya.
— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) March 27, 2024
Quite visibly no one wants Pandya to succeed including his teammates.
There have been multiple instances during the team's first two IPL matches which indicated that all might not be well between Pandya and Sharma.
The Dainik Jagran report has further questioned Pandya's body language especially after facing a humiliating defeat against SRH on Wednesday as the all-rounder seemed to be in a jolly mood after the game.
What next for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024?
Mumbai Indians will head back home to play their maiden match at Wankhede Stadium of the current season on April against Rajasthan Royals.
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