A Fistful of Salt

seeking sense within all this noise

The Mumbai Indians- Hardik Pandya Furor

Posted on May 23, 2026 by SV Rao

As I write this blog, MI have been knocked out of IPL 2026. They are wallowing at the 9^th position and may well hit bottom if they lose their final match. A repeat of the disastrous 2024 season. In a way, MI stocks on IPL Dalal Street have crashed. But this had happened earlier also in 2022 under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. His 11 years at the helm saw the franchise win 5 trophies but also not qualify for the playoffs on 4 occasions. So why the furore over Mumbai Indians’ despondent season and especially regarding Hardik Pandya’s captaincy.

Let’s travel back to November 2023. Rohit Sharma is the captain of the Men in Blue for the ICC ODI WC being held in India. After a stellar performance by the team, India falters in the final vs Australia. The skipper has himself been the top scorer in the tournament with 648 runs in 9 innings with an amazing 5 centuries. A few days later the MI Management announces that Hardik Pandya will be the new MI captain for IPL 2024; the much-loved Rohit bhai has been ousted. The anger of MI fans and cricket lovers from across the country rages across social media. The MI Head Coach Mark Boucher tries to calm the storm by calling it ‘a purely cricketing decision’ and for ‘allowing him to thrive purely as a batter.’ The totally forgetful 2024 IPL season is only remembered for the vehement booing of Hardik Pandya and the owners (Mukesh Ambani family) by the fans at the Wankhede stadium.

What sparked the sustained backlash?! The covert way it was done. An All-Cash Deal of Rs 15 crs to get Pandya back from Gujarat Titans with a captaincy clause thrown in. Presumably, the MI Management thought that Rohit’s days as captain were over and who better than to have the all-rounder who had led GT to the 2022 IPL title and the final a year later. But the Unsportsmanlike Vibes of the entire episode could not be shrugged off. The Hitman had led MI from 2013, and Hardik had joined the team as a newbie in 2015. In 2016, he had a poor tournament and was even benched midway for a few matches. The story goes that MI were prepared to trade the all-rounder for the 2017 season, but the captain stepped in and convinced the franchise management of his potential. Suffice to say that Hardik’s best years at MI and for India happened under Rohit Sharma’s leadership. However, his arrogance and self-centred attitude did not even allow for a graceful transition of captaincy.

Take Sanju Samson’s move from RR to CSK for IPL 2026. Many expected him to take over the reins from Ruturaj Gaekwad. Listen-in to Samson, ‘I am here to play for my team. I’ll play for my captain Ruturaj.’ He went on to praise Gaekwad’s assured captaincy and how it gave him the freedom to play without fear. Small wonder that Samson has broken Dhoni’s long-standing record for the franchise- 477 runs in 13 matches as WK- batsman vs Thala’s 461 runs in 2013. This is pure sporting spirit.

In a sense, the MI owners are also in the dock for this entire episode. The billionaire family are the owners and have every right to change the captain of their franchise team; but surely not this way-like a midnight coup. A Captain who had led your team for 11 years and to 5 titles surely deserved better. A Mentor to your senior players like Bumrah, SKY and Hardik Pandya himself surely deserved better. At the very least, a warm, heartfelt ceremony to highlight the transfer of captaincy would have been expected. The Ambanis treated it just like another business deal, albeit a high-profile transaction. In their ivory tower, they did not realise that cricket is much more than a mere sport in India. Players like Thala Dhoni (CSK), King Kohli (RCB) and Rohit Sharma (MI) have a passionate fan following much beyond the franchise domain.

Rohit bhai has become an emotion. For MI fans he is ‘Mumbai cha Raja’. The owners are realising their blunder too late and instead of owning up are rolling out an elaborate PR campaign. So, we are shown Nita Ambani in an animated discussion with Hardik Pandya with Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma listening in; we have Akash Ambani walking out before the end of the match with a disconsolate look on his face. Listen up, the owners have scored the self-goal. Such is the power of the Ambanis that well-known cricket experts are tiptoeing around the mess. We have Harsha Bhogle who says that he feels very sad for Hardik Pandya; sadly, we have R Ashwin opining that ‘to pin the blame on Hardik is a bit too much. Nobody turned up.’ Seriously?! If players are not performing, isn’t the captain accountable?! Out of their 4 wins this year SKY has led MI in 2 matches and Bumrah in 1 match with Hardik sitting out due to injury. Period. Finally, he ends up spilling out the truth- ‘it’s not easy to replace Rohit Sharma.’ The money and power of the franchise owners is so palpable that even ex-cricketers and commentators are afraid to call a spade a spade. The very apparent rifts and tensions in the MI dressing room are being dismissed as ‘rumours’. If the MI Icon and Mentor Sachin Tendulkar has remained silent on the abrupt removal of Rohit as captain, then one can understand The Sounds of Silence.

A few exceptions like K Srikanth and Murali Kartik are speaking out. The former has called out Pandya’s ‘Dabba captaincy’ and questioned why he is not bowling in the death overs. Kartik has clearly said that ‘bringing in Hardik to replace Rohit Sharma as captain has alienated senior MI players and damaged dressing room culture.’ MI management also did not factor in the captaincy aspirations of SKY at the franchise since 2012 & of Bumrah at MI since 2013.

The BCCI and Indian Selectors have acted far more sensibly. On the 29^thof June 2024, Rohit Sharma lifted the T20 WC trophy after India beat South Africa in Barbados; on the 9^th March 2025, the Men in Blue beat New Zealand in the final of the ODI ICC Men’s Champions Trophy in Dubai with Rohit Sharma at the helm. Egg on the faces of the MI Management and the owners!!! The legendary Head Coach Rahul Dravid has revealed that it was the India captain who persuaded him to remain as Head Coach after the heartbreak in the 2023 ODI final vs Australia. He has also mentioned that ‘he loved Rohit’s captaincy as he took responsibility for setting the tempo himself rather than asking others to do’; and ‘that he would miss Rohit as a person.’ His opening partner Shikhar Dhawan has called him ‘a gem of a person.’ Harbhajan Singh has said that ‘you will not find a better insaan’ (Human being) amongst current Indian cricketers’; Bumrah has said again and again ‘that I was privileged to play under his captaincy.’ Sanju Samson holds him in highest regard for ‘his communication, empathetic leadership and personal encouragement’; Kuldeep Yadav has thanked him for his career revival; Mohammed Shami praises him as a selfless leader and the most dangerous white-ball cricket opener in the world; to the young Tilak Verma dedicating many of his match-winning performances to his elder bro and mentor Rohit Sharma. How could the MI Management have missed out on this humongous goodwill swirling around their captain Rohit Sharma?

Hardik Pandya is a top-class allrounder in white ball cricket. He has positively impacted many matches for MI, GT and in India colours. But it needs to be said that at MI and at international level he had Rohit Sharma as mentor; at GT he had Ashish Nehra- motivator and a real cricketing brain. He has lakhs of fans rooting for him with hashtags like Justice for Hardik, Pandya the Legend and We Love Hardik. His fan following is a combo- for his cricketing skills and a cultivated rock-star and playboy persona. As far as cricket performances are concerned he is still not a legend like Kapil Dev; also, to be a true leader one has to earn respect and show character. The playboy image almost ruined his career in 2019 when he and KL Rahul appeared on the infamous Koffee with Karan show. Pandya came across as boastful, misogynist, sexist – bragging about his conquests of women and even showing his parents in a very disrespectful light. Crass, cringeworthy, he crossed all lines of decency. He and Rahul were called back from the Australia tour and temporarily suspended.

Hardik Pandya is only 32 years old. As a top-quality white ball cricketer, he has a few more years of good cricket left. He is in the dumps now, but who knows he may win the ICC 2027 ODI WC for his country. However, he must focus on his fitness and his game and re-set his mindset and even reinvent himself. Remember 12^th July 1998. France defeated defending champions Brazil 3-0 to win their first World Cup. The OG Ronaldo, an all-time great, was a shadow of himself in the finals. The multifunctional striker was lambasted and derided and even accused of match-fixing. Much, much more than what Hardik Pandya has had to go through. In the 2002 FIFA WC Brazil lifted their 5^th title beating Germany 2-0 in the finals in Japan. You guessed it!! Ronaldo scored both the goals and was declared Man of the Finals. Cricket or Football- fortunes change but only if the Champion players prepare for it and will it to happen.

So, what about Rohit Sharma? He is planning for his life beyond cricket. He will be hosting a talk show on Sony Liv. With his wry sense of humour and the Mumbaikar lingo he will ‘take some guests for a walk down the garden.’ But Indian cricket should not lose out on his vast experience, his cricketing brain and his mentorship aura. A stint as Head of National Cricket Academy for upcoming Indian cricketers automatically comes to mind. Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman have made great contributions in this role. The roles of Head Coach, Chairman of Selectors or even President or Secretary of BCCI (sometime in the future) will seminally boost the growth, success and influence of Indian cricket.

Management Lessons from THALA (The Leader)

Posted on June 6, 2023 by SV Rao

In the classic IPL 2023 finals, 3 images have stayed with millions of cricket buffs and with me. Deepak Chahar drops a sitter with the classy and prolific Shubham Gill at just 3. Pan to MSD. A calm, stoic face and the game moves on; then Jadeja beats Gill as he lunges forward. Dhoni’s lightning fast reflexes are on show as he removes the bails in a flash (0.01 seconds). The bowler runs towards the wicket-keeper with eyebrows raised and the latter nods quietly. Yes, they have stumped the batter. It’s quite clear that Shubham Gill has been plotted out; as CSK are crowned champions Mahibhai is called to lift the trophy. But he has already invited Ambati Rayudu (who has announced his retirement)and Jadeja whose cameo hitting sealed the match on the last ball to join him on stage to receive the trophy. Then as the entire CSK contingent is celebrating we see the smiling captain at the back and corner.

The most impressive trait of the man is his unflappable temperament. Ravi Shastri acknowledges this in his foreword to Bharat Sundaresan’s book, ‘The Dhoni Touch’, “Captain Cool may sound clichéd now but in many ways, it was an apt description as nothing could frazzle Dhoni. I have seen him remain steadfast and inscrutable as a monk in victory or in defeat.” The crucial lapse by Chahar could have rattled the team had their captain let out a stream of invectives and abuses. “But Thala is known to take the pressure off his players. He has always looked at the bigger picture in tight situations or even after a couple of defeats. Things will balance out in the longer run,” says Michael Hussey. In some of his interviews, Dhoni has revealed his mental resolve, “I feel frustrated. I feel angry at times. I feel disappointed. But none of these are constructive. What needs to be done is more important than any of these emotions.” His calmness both as India and CSK captain has soothed the nerves of the rest of the team and ensured that they stay focused and continue to believe in themselves. Not losing composure in stressful situations is the key to positive team spirit and sustainable success. Our Corporate Managers can take a leaf from MSD’s book. Business targets have morphed into targeting team members- especially down the line. The simple mantra is that a good work environment (dressing room culture) translates into good results.

Some Corporate leaders today tend to complicate things, by an overdose of reviews and meetings and analysis. Dhoni is not too invested in cricket data analytics. He relies more on his observation skills and his deep appreciation of every nuance of the game. THALA has a genius for keeping things simple. Everything is not within our control. “Control the controllable things and attend to the small details and address the ground realities. More often than not results will be in your favour. If you don’t get desired results, accept and work to improve,” from a Dhoni interview. In a company setup, the controllables are mobilizing the right resources, deputing people to the right assignments, defining their roles and giving them space to deliver, facilitating teamwork & co-ordination, selecting the right leaders + Training, Upskilling, Motivation, Appreciation, and having their backs when there are bad days at the office. It’s not surprising to know that MSD often has dinner with the younger members of the team to put them at ease and to jell with them.

This attribute of MSD of having faith in and backing his players is a recurrent theme. Spinner Yuzi Chahal who has experienced his best days under his captaincy says, “Newcomers or with 15-20 match experience-MSD backs you and trusts you. A couple of bad matches does not shake his faith in you.” It’s only a game that is an oft-quoted response from Dhoni after losing a match or even a series. Connect the dots to the high success ratio at both the international levels and also in the IPL tournament. Hence it is that you don’t see much chopping and changing of players in the Dhoni era as became the norm later. Merit more than loyalty mattered to him.

This sanguine, down-to-earth mindset of Dhoni is commended by Shastri, “even in the new set up with Kohli as captain and with many youngsters- his mature understanding of the players and dressing room dynamics – Dhoni morphed into a pillar, advisor, and mentor without intruding into team management space.” Mahi had even earlier proved that he was the master of quietly taking charge without rocking the boat. The Art of Managing Egos. Catapulted to captaincy ahead of several Indian cricket superstars and former captains, he took his time, didn’t interfere with their proven methods, and managed to extract the best performances from these legends and the upcoming stars without ruffling feathers. Lest we forget the 2007 T 20 WC winning team was completely raw and the current CSK team was at best, average on paper.

MS Dhoni is an enigma to many as he is an unorthodox leader and a unique personality. His art of taking ownership has many levels- Being in the Present; keeping it simple but looking to improve; thinking about results only puts more pressure on the team, so focus on the process; keeping emotions under control is more constructive- anger and frustration lead to wrong decisions; don’t throw in the towel till the result is decided. Devon Conway (CSK opener) gives more insights in an interview with Harsha Bhogle, “MS gives us a role and backs us to do the role. He steps into their shoes as everybody reacts differently to pressure.” So it is little surprise that Thala’s pre-match meetings last only 10 mins but he has a sequence of one-to-ones. Also what he has to say in team meets is already known to seniors but helps to get the others on the same page. His simple take is- A captain is only as good as his team.

At the workplace also, team members reciprocate and feel a sense of belonging and responsibility based on the trust shown to them by the leader.

Leading from the front has been his hallmark. A corporate honcho has to herself/himself excel in one or more domains-Sales, Finance, HR, Operations, Technology or their leadership will always be in doubt. Delegation is good but one cannot be a non-playing captain. MSD has been at the top of his game as a wicketkeeper, a batter (at various slots), and a captain responsible for every action on the field. The innovative and effective helicopter shot is synonymous with him. He personifies genuine multi-tasking across various formats of the game and often raises the bar. This means living in the moment and in leading the charge in whatever the role demands. Not everything he has touched has turned into gold. But he has always appeared in total command on the field- not scurrying around to mitigate a difficult situation.

The Best Finisher accolade he has earned is well deserved for his utmost capability to lead from the front even as the asking rate appeared to be beyond reach. An astonishing stat is that he has scored 4,000 runs in a winning cause batting at No. 5 or lower. In ODI’s power hitting came into vogue because of him. No score was considered safe if he was batting for India. His batting average in successful chases in the ODI’s is the highest for any player in history- an incredible 102.71. The six to finish off the 2011 WC final is etched in a nation’s consciousness and has become part of folklore.

With 294 Test dismissals, 444 ODI dismissals and 91 T20 dismissals MS Dhoni is in a league of his own- the Don with gloves on… But as wicketkeeper cum captain he morphs into a different avatar. The stump mic has caught him advising bowlers on what and where to bowl or talking about the batter’s mind frame. Yuzi Chahal certifies that the plans have worked more than 70%of the time over a few overs.

Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. But the Thala halo also speaks of a brilliant cricketing mind. It has been said that he has the game all mapped out in his head. Amazingly, he is often on the right course. Shubham Gill was outwitted by the Dhoni-Jadeja combination in the IPL finale. But few may know that in the 2011 WC final a Dhoni-short of runs- promoted himself above the Man of the Tournament Yuvraj Singh in the batting order. His rationale- danger-man Muralitharan was bowling and he had played him often in the CSK nets. In the Champions Trophy of 2013 he asked Rohit Sharma to open with Shikhar Dhawan and a hundred partnership opened the floodgates to many more runs. The sharply observant Dhoni saw things that others overlooked.

Adam Gilchrist has commented about the MSD aura, “Sheer calm and confident body language evoked great respect and even fear in the opposition camp.” The ultimate tribute has come from the master himself-Sachin Tendulkar, “Calm, positive and always one step ahead of the opposition. The best captain I have played under.”

He has always shared credit with the team and taken the heat for the losses. The 2011 WC winning team photograph also shows him in a corner with other team members at the front and center. After this heady win, it was all downhill for Dhoni and the Men in Blue as they faced one embarrassing loss after another in the Test series in England and Australia. It took great strength of character to bounce back with the sheer weight of performance once again. His announcement to retire from Test cricket during the Australia series in 2014-15 speaks volumes about the man. “90 Tests. The temptation to reach a milestone 100 is almost impossible to resist not to mention the power of captaincy. But he bid adieu as he believed he couldn’t give it his all,” comments Ravi Shastri.

MSD has always had the street-smart brain to cut through the clutter and reach a decision correctly. His technique both behind and in front of the stumps has been unconventional to say the least. He himself believes that millions connect with him as his cricket mirrors their gully cricket style. The sea of yellow at stadiums across India during the IPL is an unusual social phenomenon. It goes way beyond hero worship to a massive cult following. That this man from Jharkhand has been so warmly embraced by the people of Chennai and Tamil Nadu has a powerful message for our political netas. His respect for the people, their culture, and his humanity and simplicity, have made him their very own ICON.

In this era of omnipresent social media, this celebrity cricketer is totally missing from Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. He considers it a distraction and an addiction. In his own wry manner, he says, “Core job is to play well for India in cricket. If you do that there will be enough likes and enough followers.”

The incredible journey of this railway ticket collector from Ranchi to Chennai and beyond has not been without controversy. The CSK-RR match-fixing scandal and the banning of both teams from the IPL for two seasons must have scarred him badly. He has called it the lowest point in his life. The 2016 film, ‘MS Dhoni-the Untold Story’ produced by his friend Arun Pandey did not reveal anything. Mahi only spoke about it in the documentary ‘Roar of the Lions’ on Hotstar in 2019. Another cautionary tale is the conflict of interest issue with Rhiti Sports (where Dhoni had a 15% stake) also managing the careers and fortunes of his CSK team-mates- Raina, Jadeja, and Ojha.

The 2023 IPL final was heralded as MSD’s ‘Last Dance’ with the CSK team. But the cricketing legend has now metamorphosed into a national emotion. After his recent knee surgery he will likely return to CSK in IPL 2024 as a captain for a few matches and as a Mentor for the team and franchise. The final hurrah will be played out at Chepauk.