“Rohit Sharma’s stature at MI is as big as MS Dhoni’s at CSK”, says Irfan Pathan.

Irfan Pathan acknowledges Rohit Sharma’s pivotal role in Mumbai Indians’ (MI) triumphs in the Indian Premier League (IPL), emphasizing its significance akin to MS Dhoni’s impact on the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) success.

In anticipation of the IPL 2024 auction, MI orchestrated the transfer of Hardik Pandya from the Gujarat Titans. Despite the leadership capabilities of Rohit Sharma, the architect behind MI’s five IPL titles, the franchise appointed Pandya as their skipper for the upcoming season. This decision prompted a discussion on Star Sports, where Pathan was queried about the potential influence of Rohit’s presence on Pandya’s captaincy. The former India all-rounder thus underscored Rohit Sharma’s integral role in MI’s achievements, drawing parallels with Dhoni’s impact on CSK.

Pathan said “Firstly, Rohit Sharma’s stature at MI is as big as MS Dhoni’s at CSK. He has virtually built this team as a captain with his blood and sweat. He has contributed a lot. He was involved a lot in team meetings.”

athan opined that Rohit had successfully guided a less formidable MI squad to the playoffs in IPL 2023

, saying “He is an outstanding captain. I consider him a bowler’s captain who has taken this team forward for many years. The team they had last year, how many people would have believed that they could qualify with that team, and he got them to qualify as a captain.”