Hardik Pandya Likely to Return to Mumbai Indians in IPL Transfer
In a surprising turn of events, the Indian cricket scene has been buzzing with news of Hardik Pandya’s potential move from the Gujarat Titans to the Mumbai Indians. Pandya rose to stardom during his time at Mumbai Indians but decided to join the Gujarat Titans as their captain. Under his leadership, the team even secured an IPL title victory. However, sources have informed NDTV that Pandya is likely to make a return to the Mumbai Indians, which will undoubtedly have a significant impact considering his role as the skipper of the Gujarat Titans.
Ravichandran Ashwin, an Indian cricketer and former captain, has now commented on the potential transfer. In a video posted on his Instagram page, Ashwin expressed his opinion on the matter. “If it’s true, Mumbai Indians have struck gold. From what I’ve read, it seems to be a complete cash deal. Mumbai Indians have never given players in a trade before, so it’s quite rare. But how will the Mumbai Indians’ playing XI look like if Hardik, who is a player developed by the Mumbai Indians, returns?” he said.
Ashwin proceeded to suggest a possible playing XI for the Mumbai Indians, including Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, and either Jofra Archer, Ryle Meredith, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Starc, or Pat Cummins. He also highlighted that only three captains have ever been traded in the IPL: himself, Ajinkya Rahane, and now Hardik Pandya. However, the difference lies in Pandya’s status as an IPL-winning captain, which significantly impacts the balance for the Gujarat Titans.
Pandya had previously played for the Mumbai Indians for seven seasons before being released ahead of the 2022 season. After joining the Gujarat Titans, he led the team to consecutive IPL finals, ultimately securing the trophy in their inaugural season. While there is no official confirmation from the Mumbai Indians regarding the potential release of their Rs 8 crore mega buy, Jofra Archer, who has faced injuries in the past two seasons, the team will enter the mini-auction with a purse of Rs 5.50 crore due to the IPL Governing Council’s increase of an additional Rs 5 crore.
As the transfer window approaches, the Mumbai Indians may need to free up their budget to accommodate Hardik Pandya’s 15-crore price tag. This transfer has undoubtedly created a ripple effect in the cricketing world, and fans eagerly await the official announcement from both teams involved.
[With PTI inputs]
