The season of Red-ball cricket is back in India with domestic cricket already underway in full swing. Along with that, the Indian team are gearing up for their first assignment in the Test format against England. Hence, the apex Indian cricket board, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the first two Tests of the five-match series which will commence on January 25, in Hyderabad.
In the same vein, several Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises shared their post regarding their players who are going to play against the Three Lions. However, one of the major IPL franchises Mumbai Indians (MI) stirred a controversy around their post regarding Team India's squad. Reason? MI missed out on displaying the Indian captain and their former skipper Rohit Sharma's image in their post.
Consequently, fans took to social media to condemn their actions by calling it total disrespect. Moreover, some fans also bashed MI by calling it a big hint at a possible benching of Rohit Sharma in the upcoming IPL 2024 season. Instead, Mumbai chose to highlight vice captain Jasprit Bumrah along with KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer.
Notably, during the transfer window period, Mumbai Indians traded the former Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya and not only included him into the side but also announced him as their new captain replacing none other than 'The Hitman'. This led to several speculations in the cricketing world and MI fans were left fumed by the franchise's decision to suddenly make a huge change in their leadership. It is worthy to mention that Rohit Sharma has lifted the IPL title with the side as their leader. Now this move seems to have sparked yet another off-the-field controversy and several fans believe that things have gone downward spiral between Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians.
Gujarat Titans released their India squad poster with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill
While this has opened a pandora box for the fans and cricket experts alike to speculate about the relationship between the former captain and Mumbai Indians, another IPL rival franchise in the form of Gujarat Titans with whom MI had struck a deal, posted their India squad announcement poster with Rohit Sharma and new skipper Shubman Gill's images. Hence this led the fans to come down quite harshly on the Mumbai-based franchise.
Here's how fans reacted to MI's omission of Rohit Sharma from India squad poster:
🔒𝐈𝐍
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) January 13, 2024
Your thoughts on the squad, paltan? 🤔#OneFamily #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/lGreG3DeMU
What a pathetic franchise you are. Where's Rohit in your poster? He's the national captain. Worst franchise. Better he plays for a different team this IPL. Trade ON
— Manas K Pradhan 🇮🇳 (@impmanaskumar) January 13, 2024
Time to add WHITE to the colours of Uttarayan! 🤩
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) January 13, 2024
Which player will reach for the skies?#INDvENG | #AavaDe pic.twitter.com/nfOfvuHFdT
@ImRo45 plz humble Request To Leave Yourself From This Rubbish🚮 Franchise
— Ajay Gautam (@gautam_ajay007) January 13, 2024
See 👀 The Perfect example in Image🖼 Other Franchise Gujarat Titans Posting India🇮🇳 Squad👨👨👧👧 With Their Captain and Indian🇮🇳 Captain Rohit Sharma But This @mipaltan Posted Without Rohit Sharma images🖼 pic.twitter.com/Wrs0mu7uFE
Rohit to MI Admin pic.twitter.com/NxlQDOvupV
— Pankaj (@Pankaj41627) January 13, 2024
Where's the "One Family"? Is there a plan by Mumbai Indians to potentially drop Rohit Sharma from the squad next year? It's puzzling to see the Indian captain and their own successful leader excluded from posters.
— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952_) January 13, 2024
I understand other franchises not using rohit the Captain's face in their team announcement post, but didn't expect this from #OneFamily 😂😂
— Sæn (@TheHelmetPunch) January 13, 2024
Interesting times ahead
As a Rohit fan m gonna unfollow this page and all Rohit fans should do the same they are deliberately doing this for Rohit😭
— Archer (@poserarcher) January 13, 2024
Mumbai Indians don't know how to respect their goat. I feel really bad for Rohit who dedicated almost his entire IPL career to MI. #OneFamily #INDvsENG
— @vipin mishra 🇮🇳 (@viplnt) January 13, 2024
Rohit Sacked from POSTERS TOO ?
— Andleeb Akhtar🇮🇳 (@mr_akhtar17) January 13, 2024
One family ❌❌
— Kirkett (@bhaskar_sanu08) January 13, 2024
Two family ✅✅
Captain sacked from posters too💔
— msd_stan (@bdrijalab) January 13, 2024
I understand other franchises not using rohit the Captain's face in their team announcement post, but didn't expect this from #OneFamily 😂😂
— @vipin mishra 🇮🇳 (@viplnt) January 13, 2024
Interesting times ahead.
Something fishy
Unreal hate for Rohit Sharma 😣 who won 5 ipl title shame on Mumbai Indians. Atleast he deserve respect
— @vipin mishra 🇮🇳 (@viplnt) January 13, 2024
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