Hardik Pandya, who captained the Gujarat Titans for two seasons, is expected to return to the Mumbai Indians squad for the current campaign, which is a major move for Indian cricket and IPL fans.
The gifted all-rounder has been in talks with the Mumbai Indians since the conclusion of the previous IPL season, and he is reportedly being regarded as a possible replacement for Rohit Sharma in the team.
The Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians are presently finalizing the agreement; once the details are completed, an announcement will be made. The Mumbai Indians may have to release some players, like Jofra Archer, in order to match Hardik’s pay of Rs. 15 crore. The Gujarat Titans are currently looking for a worthy Hardik substitute.
The decision was made by Hardik Pandya and MI a few months prior to the World Cup.
There’s been rising discord between Hardik Pandya and the Titans management. The two franchisees are responsible for finalizing the terms and conditions of the agreement. Only then would there be an announcement, a BCCI insider told TOI.
Hardik’s reputation as an Indian white-ball captain has grown as a result of his success leading the Titans. He will rejoin his former team, the Mumbai Indians, who found him and developed him into India’s top seam-bowling all-around player, if the transaction is completed.
Given that Rohit Sharma is nearing the end of his career and has shown his desire to stand down from T20I captaincy, it is stated that the Mumbai Indians are looking for a long-term replacement. After releasing Hardik in 2022, the franchise made significant investments in Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, but they are still not content with their leadership abilities.
In other developments, because of their lackluster results from the previous season, the Delhi Capitals have chosen to release Sarfaraz Khan, Manish Pandey, and Kamlesh Nagarkoti for the forthcoming campaign. To overhaul their team, the organization intends to purchase new domestic talent during the auction.
India
