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Ever since reports of Hardik Pandya making a sensational return to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans have been making the rounds, there has been a lot of speculation about whether legendary captain Rohit Sharma will bid adieu from the franchise.
However, former Indian cricketer and ex-chief selector K Srikkanth rubbished these reports. He reckons MI will have Hardik as their new captain, but there won't be any bad blood between him and Rohit, as it would be a part of future transition.
Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel about Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma:
"No no (not the end for Rohit). It's about a smooth transition. It happened between Sachin and Rohit. Now it's time for Rohit to Hardik. It's going to be a smooth transition.
"At the end of the day, Rohit and Hardik share a wonderful relationship. Obviously, they will make Hardik Pandya the captain. Rohit Sharma will be a key figure and ensure a smooth transition. You need a smooth transition to avoid hiccups in the team."
Srikkanth gave the example of the transition that happened between MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli with Team India's captaincy:
"Look at what Dhoni did with India. There was a smooth transition between him and Kohli. It was a fantastic transition. Yes, Dhoni also played under Kohli.
"It will be like Guru-Shishya. Yes, Hardik will be leading the team, Rohit will be there. It will be a smooth transition like Dhoni and Kohli in the Indian team."
Hardik Pandya is a fabulous addition to Mumbai Indians: K Srikkanth
Srikkanth reckons MI have pulled off a massive coup if the news about Hardik Pandya's trade is true.
He feels GT just looked at it from a business point of view by receiving a reportedly undisclosed transfer fee:
"Yes, it's a huge surprise. But then, it's a fantastic addition for Mumbai Indians. MI only made Mumbai Indians. I can't forget Hardik hitting those sixes against Chennai Super Kings in 2015. Yes, MI needed an all-rounder. When it comes to trading, you might have a lot of questions.
"You might ask 'why Gujarat Titans are realising their captain?'. Maybe they are looking at it as a business. Yes, it's a huge surprise because he was their captain when they won the title and reached the final."
The deadline is 4 pm IST on Sunday, November 26, for IPL franchises to submit their list of retained players ahead of the auction in Dubai on December 19.
