On Monday, Vikram Solanki, the Director of Cricket for Gujarat Titans, expressed respect for Hardik Pandya's decision to join Mumbai Indians for the upcoming IPL 2024 season. This much-awaited move was part of a double trade confirmed by the Indian Premier League, which also saw Cameron Green moving from Mumbai Indians to Royal Challengers Bangalore.
"As the first captain of Gujarat Titans, Hardik Pandya has helped the franchise deliver two fantastic seasons that resulted in winning one TATA IPL championship and one appearance in the final. He has now expressed a desire to return to his original team Mumbai Indians. We respect his decision and wish him all the very best in his future endeavours," Solanki said.
Pandya's departure from Gujarat Titans comes after a remarkable tenure with the team. He captained the Titans to an IPL victory in their debut season in 2022 and led them to the finals in 2023, where they narrowly missed the title to Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Pandya’s initial appointment as captain of the Gujarat Titans was met with some skepticism, as he had not previously led a senior team. However, under the mentorship of Solanki and head coach Ashish Nehra, Pandya silenced doubters by guiding the team to triumph in their first IPL season. His leadership at Gujarat Titans was so impactful that it led to his selection as the T20I captain for the Indian national team in Rohit Sharma's absence, positioning him as a strong candidate to potentially succeed Sharma as India's T20I captain in the future.
Despite these achievements, Pandya expressed a desire to leave the franchise, as revealed by Solanki in his statement. Mumbai Indians, where Pandya made his IPL debut and rose to become an Indian cricketer, warmly welcomed him back. Nita Ambani, co-owner of Mumbai Indians, expressed delight at Hardik's return to the team.
"We are thrilled to welcome Hardik back home! It's a heartwarming reunion with our Mumbai Indians family! From being a young scouted talent of Mumbai Indians to now being a team India star, Hardik has come a long way and we're excited for what the future holds for him and Mumbai Indians!" Nita Ambani said.
Pandya spent seven seasons with Mumbai Indians, debuting in 2015 and concluding his first stint with the team with a title win in 2021. During his time with MI, he evolved into a key player, contributing significantly to the team's success.
As Pandya returns to Mumbai Indians, it remains to be seen whether he will assume a leadership role, given that Rohit Sharma has been retained as the captain for IPL 2024.
In the wake of Pandya's move, Gujarat Titans have announced Shubman Gill as their new captain for the IPL 2024 season, signaling a new chapter for the franchise. Gill's appointment marks a transition in leadership for the Titans as they look to build on their recent successes in the upcoming IPL season.
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