"Rohit felt this is one solid player and that they should keep him" - Parthiv Patel recalls Rohit Sharma pushing MI to retain Jasprit Bumrah
Former India and Mumbai Indians (MI) wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel narrated an incident when Rohit Sharma urged the franchise to retain Jasprit Bumrah after his poor 2015 season.
Bumrah has been part of the MI setup since 2013, but his performances in the first three seasons, especially in 2015, were disappointing. The ace pacer picked up only three wickets in four games at an economy of over 12 that year.
However, better judgment prevailed, and Bumrah remained with the franchise, thanks to Rohit's backing, and the rest is history.
Recalling the incident during the Legends Lounge Show on Jio Cinema, Parthiv said:
"Rohit is always with the players and the biggest examples of it are Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. Bumrah joined MI in 2014, but when he played his first season in 2015, it didn't turn out that well. MI had decided to drop Bumrah midway through the season but Rohit felt this is one solid player and that they should keep him. And you saw how from 2016, Bumrah's performance reached the next level."
Although Bumrah has been part of MI's five title runs between 2013 and 2020, he was a major contributor in their final three triumphs in 2017, 2019, and 2020.
In those three seasons, the 30-year-old combined for an incredible 66 wickets in 47 outings.
"Same with Hardik Pandya" - Parthiv Patel
Parthiv Patel further stated how Rohit Sharma similarly backed Hardik Pandya after his poor run in the 2015 and 2016 IPL seasons.
The 30-year-old joined MI in 2015 but had a dismal run in 2016, averaging under seven with the bat and 51 with the ball in 11 games. However, he has been a different beast with consistent all-round performances since 2017.
"Same with Hardik Pandya. When he joined in 2015, he became quite the rage but in 2016 he had a bad season. The thing is when you're an uncapped player, franchises release you quickly and then assess how a player is performing in Ranji Trophy or other domestic matches before maybe taking them back. But Rohit did not let it happen. That's why these guys went on to become the players that they did," said Parthiv.
Ironically, Hardik will now replace Rohit Sharma as MI captain for the upcoming 2024 IPL season.
The talismanic all-rounder left MI to lead the Gujarat Titans (GT) for the last two years, helping them to a title in 2022 and the final last season. Hardik returned to MI in an all-cash trade deal with GT during the off-season.