Mahela Jayawardene, Mumbai Indians' Global Head of Cricket, admitted that replacing Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya as the team's captain was a tough decision but termed it a necessary call with future in mind.
Pandya's return to MI as captain had evoked sharp responses from the teams' fan base, but Jayawardene asserted that Rohit will remain an integral part of the side.
"It was a tough decision. It was emotional, to be honest. It's fair on the fans as well (to react). I think everyone is emotional and we have to respect that as well. But at the same time, as a franchise, you have to make those decisions," Jayawardene told JIO Cinema.
