Farak Nahi Padta...: Shami unfazed as Hardik Pandya bids farewell to Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2024

Indian pace bowler Mohammed Shami shared his candid perspective on Hardik Pandya's departure, stating, "Kisike jane se kisiko farak nahi padta (See, it doesn't matter who is leaving). You have to see the team's balance. Hardik was there, he captained us well. He took us to the final in both editions and we won once. But Gujarat hadn't signed Hardik for a lifetime. It's his decision to stay or leave. Shubman is made captain now; he will also gain experience. Some day, he might also leave. And it's a part of the game. Players come and go."

Addressing the responsibility that comes with captaincy, Shami emphasized, "When you become captain, it's important to handle the responsibility while taking care of your performances. And that responsibility has been assigned to Shubman this time. He might have some load in his mind, but the players are more or less the same. So he doesn't need to worry. You need to manage players well and extract the best out of your players."

In a surprising turn of events, Gujarat Titans witnessed a change in leadership dynamics, and fans are eager to see how Shubman Gill steps into the role previously held by Hardik Pandya.

In other news, Mohammed Shami, along with archers Ojas Pravin Deotale, Sheetal Devi, Aditi Gopichand Swami, and wrestler Antim Panghal, was honored with the prestigious Arjuna Award at Rashtrapati Bhawan by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. The Arjuna Award recognizes athletes for outstanding performance, leadership qualities, sportsmanship, and a sense of discipline over the previous four years.

The ceremony, attended by 17 exceptional athletes, celebrated Shami's incredible achievements, including being the leading wicket-taker in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India, where he secured 24 scalps and set new records.

Expressing his joy, Shami commented, "This award is a dream; life passes and people are not able to win this award. I am happy that I have been nominated for this award. It is like a dream for me to get this award because my whole life I have seen many people receiving this award."