Gujarat Titans’ COO Admits Mistake: Mohammed Shami Almost Lost Too, Not Just Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya’s transfer from the Gujarat Titans to his former team, the Mumbai Indians, has become a major talking point in the IPL. Pandya had led the Gujarat Titans to an IPL win in 2022 and a runners-up finish in 2023. His move back to the Mumbai Indians, where he made a name for himself in his early days, was the biggest news after the list of retained players was released by the 10 IPL franchises.

Now, it has been revealed that the Gujarat Titans were also in danger of losing another star player – Mohammed Shami. In an interview with News18, the Chief Operating Officer of the Gujarat Titans, Colonel Arvinder Singh, disclosed that another franchise had approached their leading wicket-taker, Mohammed Shami.

Colonel Arvinder Singh stated, “Every franchise has the right to go for top players. The problem arises when an IPL franchise directly approaches a player. The method is wrong, and the GT team management is not happy with this approach. The BCCI has rules regarding player trade-offs, and expressions of interest should be made to them. Then the franchise can decide. This IPL team approached our coaching staff, which is not the correct procedure. If they wanted the transfer, they should have talked to us directly. We found out about the approach later on.”

Earlier, GT Team Director Vikram Solanki had praised Pandya for his contributions to the team’s success in the last two seasons. “As the first captain of the Gujarat Titans, Hardik Pandya has helped the franchise deliver two fantastic seasons, resulting in winning one IPL championship and reaching the final once,” Solanki said in a statement. “He has now expressed his desire to return to his original team, the Mumbai Indians. We respect his decision and wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” he added.

Solanki also spoke highly of Shubman Gill, who was appointed as the captain after Pandya’s departure. “Shubman Gill has shown tremendous growth in stature and standing over the last two years. We have seen him mature not only as a batter but also as a leader in cricket,” Solanki commented. “His maturity and skill are evident in his on-field performance, and we are extremely excited to have a young leader like Shubman at the helm,” he continued.

24-year-old opener Shubman Gill, who scored 890 runs and won the “orange cap” in the last season, expressed his delight at being appointed as the captain. “I am delighted and proud to assume the captaincy of the Gujarat Titans and thank the franchise for their trust in me to lead such a fine team. We have had two exceptional seasons, and I am looking forward to leading the team with our exciting brand of cricket,” Gill said in a statement.

Pandya himself took to social media platform ‘X’ to express his emotions. “This brings back so many wonderful memories. Mumbai. Wankhede. Paltan. Feels good to be back,” Pandya commented on ‘X’ on a video showcasing his journey with the Mumbai Indians.

The transfer of Pandya and the possible loss of Mohammed Shami has created a buzz in the IPL, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the upcoming season.