MUMBAI, March 20 -- Leading an IPL side is challenging enough, but Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya has plenty more on his plate. He must guard the five-time champions against another poor start, get the seniors to fully commit to his leadership and earn the respect of talisman Jasprit Bumrah. He must also find the best combination after the mega auction, and win over MI fans who last season booed him for replacing the popular Rohit Sharma as skipper.
The 2024 IPL proved to the toughest for the all-rounder. Hardik faced the ire of the fans at every MI game. He looked rattled by the series of defeats as MI became the first team to be eliminated, eventually finishing at the bottom of the 10-team table.
As MI begin a new campaign looking...