India, April 17 -- When Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as the Mumbai Indians captain, it was believed that the management wanted instant results. And could you blame the owners and the think-tank for making this move? Absolutely not. Consider the facts. Hardik had just won an Indian Premier League (IPL) title as captain of the Gujarat Titans and then led the same franchise to the final the next year. At the same time, Rohit was struggling with the bat in the tournament, and Mumbai failed to win the tournament for three years. So, the succession plan stared everyone in the eyes. Hardik spent his formative years with the franchise, and it was the Mumbai Indians who gave him the stage to make the world his oyster.

The Mumbai Indians ma...