The trade of Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya to Mumbai Indians (MI) has recently made headlines in the Indian Cricket for the last month or so. There have been differing opinions on Pandya’s move from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians, and both the newly-appointed MI skipper Pandya and MI have faced significant criticism since the transfer was finally completed.
Five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians removed skipper Rohit Sharma to make room for Hardik Pandya in leadership position. On paper, the move cost Mumbai Indians 15 crore, but many were surprised that GT let go of a marquee player and successful captain who led them to a title win in their maiden season and the finals in the second season.
According to the Indian Express report, MI and GT have quite different cultures and aim to build up their brand in the cash-rich league. CVC Capital is an investment firm with 40 managing partners that is a worldwide institution that naturally sees IPL as a ‘gold mine’ for high profit. The Mumbai Indians (MI) are a franchise owned by a business family who, in addition to profit, make decisions for a variety of reasons.
An interesting element has been added to this discussion by an Indian Express piece, which explains how the transaction was a financial gold mine for Gujarat Titans, a club that paid 5625 crore to be a member of the IPL before the 2022 season.
So, by selling Hardik Pandya, The 2022 IPL champions not only improved their bank account by 15 crore, but they also earned a transfer fee from IPL, which according to speculations might have reached 100 crore. This makes Hardik Pandya’s deal move to MI incredibly advantageous for GT owners, pushing them to make the agonizing decision to split ways with Hardik Pandya.
After recovering from an ankle injury sustained during the ODI World Cup 2023, Hardik Pandya is expected to return to the Indian team for the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan. The Men in Blue will face Afghanistan in a three-match T20 series beginning on January 11.
In the league stage of the 2023 ODI World Cup in Pune, Hardik Pandya damaged his ankle against Bangladesh. He was ruled out of the event and would be keen on returning to full his fitness and form ahead of the crucial 2024 T20 World Cup in June.
