India, March 8 -- Ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League, a major controversy shook Mumbai Indians when the franchise appointed Hardik Pandya as captain. The decision brought an end to Rohit Sharma's stint, whose leadership had propelled the team to five IPL titles. The unexpected decision sparked a strong backlash from MI fans and even left many former cricketers srurprised, too.

Hardik, who had spent the previous two seasons with Gujarat Titans, was brought back to MI in the same auction, which added to the confusion over the decision.

The call to hand Hardik the reins seemed to have a lasting effect on the team's performance, too. With the weight of the controversy hanging over them, Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the IPL ...