Mumbai Indians Batting Coach Kieron Pollard stirred curiosity on Instagram with a cryptic post about loyalty, hinting that loyalty can turn into a burden when benefits cease.

'Once the rain is over, an umbrella becomes a burden to everyone. That's how loyalty ends when benefits stop,' Pollard's post read.

This sparked speculation about its connection to recent events, particularly the change in Mumbai Indians' captaincy from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya.

Pollard and Pandya are dear friends as is Hardik's elder brother Krunal Pandya, who plays for the Lucknow Super Giants after being left go by the Mumbai Indians two years ago.

Jasprit Bumrah had earlier added to the intrigue with an Instagram story after the announcement of Hardik's return to the Mumbai Indians.

Bumrah's post about 'silence' fuelled speculation, with the caption 'Silence is sometimes the best answer,' leading fans to share theories about discord between the involved parties.

Mumbai Indians batter Suryakumar Yadav expressed his sentiments with a 'broken heart' emoji on social media, interpreted by fans as a sign of discontent with the leadership shuffle in the team.

Hardik took on the captaincy following Mumbai Indians' all-cash trade with Gujarat Titans.

The accomplished all-rounder returned to MI with an impressive track record, having led the Titans to the IPL title in 2022 and played in another final last year, where the team faced defeat against the Chennai Super Kings.