Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has questioned whether Hardik Pandya will move from the Gujarat Titans to the Mumbai Indians if he is not granted the captaincy in the team. The All-rounder began his IPL career with the Rohit Sharma-led side, before moving to Gujarat Titans and captaining them to the title in IPL 2022.
Hardik Pandya’s IPL career began with the Mumbai Indians in 2015, and he has gone on to become one of the game’s top all-rounders in the white-ball format of the game. It has been claimed that the Mumbai Indians are prepared to pay INR 15 crore to re-sign the all-rounder ahead of the IPL auction 2024.
Speaking on his YouTube Channel About Hardik Pandya’s alleged move to Mumbai Indians, Aakash Chopra raised his concerns on whether Gujarat Titans would want to release Hardik Pandya or if the all-rounder would join the Mumbai Indians if he was not named captain. While the rumors were true, he was unsure whether Rohit Sharma would join the Titans in such a scenario.
“A rumor is doing the rounds that Hardik is moving towards Mumbai. It has been heard, but no confirmation has come. If he is leaving, firstly Gujarat are releasing him – won once and reached the final once. If he is leaving, will he be made Mumbai’s captain? Why would you go if you are not being made the captain?”
“I have not heard the end or the start of this story properly. So I am waiting and watching what happens there because it seems like something will happen. There is no smoke without fire and there is smoke for sure that Hardik is going. However, will Rohit Sharma go to GT? Is that a possibility – I don’t know,” Aakash Chopra said.
If the deal of moving Hardik Pandya to Mumbai Indians is completed, it will be the largest player transaction in IPL history. Neither franchise, however, has made any public statements on the change but the all-rounder could likely move to his former franchise for the next season.
You Can Loosen Your Purse By Probably Releasing Jofra Archer – Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra believes that Mumbai Indians would release Star England quick Jofra Archer due to the availability of Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah. He believes that the franchise paid a high price for him and that releasing him could provide enough money for the team in the IPL auction.
“I feel there will be a debate about Jofra Archer. Mumbai will think about what they should do. Do they stay with him because (Jasprit) Bumrah will become available this time?”
“Eight crores are stuck there, so whether they should keep him or not, what is the point? You can loosen your purse by probably releasing Jofra. You get some money,” Aakash Chopra added.
Jofra Archer’s rehabilitation from an elbow injury has been hampered by soreness during training. Archer’s most recent appearances were with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) and was only able to play five matches before his stress fracture in his elbow flared up again.