Indian Premier League (IPL) five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) have confirmed the return of star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya in an all-cash trade deal with Gujarat Titans (GT), with Cameron Green moving to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to facilitate this move.
Pandya, who led GT to their first IPL title in 2022 and a final appearance in 2023, is set to reunite with the team where he initially began his IPL journey in 2015. The unexpected transfer of Pandya to MI, raised eyebrows, especially after Gujarat Titans initially opted to retain him. However, Pandya expressed his wish to rejoin MI, leading to this noteworthy trade.
They had only Rs 15.25 crore after their releases and retentions, but with Green moving to RCB for a deal worth Rs 15 Crore, MI now have enough in their purse to pay for the transfer of Hardik.
Earlier, despite the rumours, Pandya had been retained as the captain of Gujarat Titans. Additionally, Gujarat Titans have released several players from their squad. This includes West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph along with Odean Smith and Dasun Shanaka. Each of these players brought unique skills to the team, but the franchise has opted for a change in their lineup.
This transfer makes Pandya one of the rare instances of an IPL captain being traded, joining the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane who were traded in 2020. The speculation around Pandya's return has been a major talking point, with former India captain and ex-chief selector Kris Srikkanth expressing his surprise at the developments. Pandya's return is not just a homecoming but also a strategic addition for MI, raising the possibility of him taking over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma.
Pandya's cricketing career has been marked by his dynamic presence both in domestic and international cricket. Playing for Baroda since 2013, he has also been an integral part of the Indian cricket team across all formats. His international achievements include being part of the runner-up Indian team at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and winning the Asia Cup the same year.
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