India, May 21 -- It was on December 15, 2023, that Mumbai Indians (MI) announced Hardik Pandya as Rohit Sharma's successor, declaring him the franchise's captain for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) and beyond. At the time, the move made sense. Rohit was no longer producing the kind of returns he once did, and Mumbai had gone three seasons without a trophy. Hardik, meanwhile, had enjoyed tremendous success with Gujarat Titans, leading them to the IPL title in 2022 before finishing runners-up the following year.

However, three seasons later, little has changed. If anything, MI's credibility has taken a massive hit after enduring two forgettable campaigns in the last three years. Was bringing Hardik Pandya back the right call? Definite...