Mumbai Indians (MI) global head of cricket, Mahela Jayawardene, has defended the decision to replace Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya as the team's captain, acknowledging the emotional response from fans. In an interview with JIO Cinema, Jayawardene emphasized the necessity of the decision for the franchise's future and emphasized that Rohit Sharma will continue to play a vital role in the team despite the change in leadership. He acknowledged the emotional reactions from fans and the franchise's decision-making process.