Picture Credit: X/IPL
The Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians (MI) are still struggling to field their best XI and finetune their skills in the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, the team is yet to register maiden win in the IPL 2024, MI captaincy change has been the key talking points.
However, several former cricketers have come out to speak on this so far in the tournament, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif is the latest to join the bandwagon. The 55-year-old in his latest interview on YouTube, threw verbal grenades on the franchise’s ownership. “It was a mismatch, but their poor performance does not seem to be a problem of playing on the field but more around the team’s mental approach. Their owners’ mental approach is also reflecting on the side,” Rashid Latif said.
“The decision from MI owners - appointing Mark Boucher, Malinga, Kieron Pollard - it is a huge group, but if there is a problem from the top (owner) that this has to be done, then there is no one who has the power to resist or say no. You will get a lot of people who say yes, boss, but those who have the courage to say no are the ones who are successful,” he further added recalling how MI knows how to make a comeback and have done it in the past under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.
Latif also drew comparison with PSL as he said, “Even in PSL, we have seen owners stamping their authority, and the same can be seen with MI in IPL. The decision to appoint Hardik Pandya as captain was wrong, at least for now. The way they removed Rohit Sharma was also not right.”
The Mumbai Indians on Monday, April 1 suffered their third straight defeat of the season. While they lost their opening fixture against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, their second defeat came against the Pat Cummins-led SunRisers Hyderabad in latter’s home ground.
