The Mumbai Indians coach Mark Boucher refused to answer the question about Rohit Sharma’s Captaincy removal during the first press conference ahead of the IPL 2024 season.
Mark Boucher Skips Questions on Rohit’s Captaincy Removal
With only less than five days available before the start of IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians continue to go with their decision on naming Hardik Pandya as Mumbai Indians captain.
During the press conference, a journalist asked about the Captaincy clause but head coach Mark Boucher remained silent and refused to answer the question. Hardik Pandya who was sitting next to him, did not say anything.
Hardik Pandya was given captaincy right after he rejoined the franchise. He was released by the franchise during the 2022 season where he joined Gujarat Titans leading the side to the title during the first season of the franchise.
They reached the finals in the 2023 season but lost to the Chennai Super Kings. Later before the IPL 2024 auction, Hardika Pandya was brought into the squad after Last month, Mark Boucher explained the change in captaincy.
“I think it was purely a cricketing decision. We saw the window period to get Hardik back as a player. For me, it’s a transition phase. A lot of people don’t understand in India, people get quite emotional, but you know you take the emotions away from it.
However, Rohit Sharma‘s wife Rithika reacted to Boucher’s statement and was displeased with the decision.
Meanwhile, Mark Boucher opened upon the availability of Suryakumar Yadav for the IPL 2024 saying they are waiting for BCCI clearance. Despite his fitness issues, Boucher expressed confidence in the player.
“We are awaiting updates on Suryakumar from the BCCI. We have always been under a cloud of fitness issues but we have a world-class medical team. We may lose one or two in terms of fitness but we have to move on as is sport,” Boucher said in MI’s pre-IPL 2024 press conference.
Suryakumar Yadav suffered from a sports hernia and has been sidelined since last December. However, the player has updated his recovery and performing a lot of strength and conditioning routines.
Suryakumar Yadav is one of the most important key players in India’s T20 squad with a strike rate of 171+ and has amassed 2141 runs in 60 games.
His performance with the bat will be important if the Indian team has to mount a title challenge in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies.
The IPL 2024 is set to begin on March 22 with CSK and RCB playing in the first match of the campaign. Mumbai Indians will be playing their first match of the campaign against Gujarat Titans on March 24 at Narendra Modi Stadium.
