In a significant event in the Indian Premier League Trade Window, Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya is all set to join five-time champions Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 season and it is reported that Mumbai Indians are set to pay INR 15 crore to re-sign the famed all-rounder ahead of the IPL auction. The 30-year-old has joined the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022 leading them to an IPL title and a runner-up finish.
Hardik Pandya’s IPL career began with Mumbai Indians in 2015 and went on to become one of the game’s best all-rounders. Hardik was signed as an uncapped player in 2015 for INR 10 lakhs and was a member of Mumbai’s title-winning seasons in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
According to the reports in Espncricinfo, It suggests the five-time champions are in talks with Hardik Pandya to bring him back as a long-term captain. It’s believed to be a cash-only transaction, with Mumbai Indians willing to pay 15 crore for the outstanding all-rounder.
If the deal goes through, it will be the largest player transaction in the history of the IPL. However, neither franchise has made any public comments about the move. The most difficult task for Mumbai is to have an appropriate trade purse.
Hardik Pandya guided Gujarat Titans to their maiden IPL title in 2022, winning Player of the Match against Rajasthan Royals. The Titans reached the IPL final for the second season in a row in 2023, finishing second to the Chennai Super Kings. The IPL 2022 finished first in the league points table in both seasons under Hardik’s leadership.
Hardik Pandya has been brilliant with the bat for them in the last two seasons, scoring 833 runs in 30 innings, with an average of 41.65 and a strike rate of 133.49. He grabbed 11 wickets with an economy of 8.1 and could be a crucial miss for them.
There is no doubt that Pandya is the best all-rounder for India at the moment in the white-ball format of the game and stepped up for the team in crucial moments of the game and is the likely candidate to replace Rohit Sharma as the Indian skipper in white-ball cricket. The Indian all-rounder has shown the potential to lead India in the limited opportunities for Men in Blue and would be a valuable addition to the Mumbai Indians team alongside Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah.
