Hardik Pandya is nearing his long-awaited return ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Pandya, who sustained an ankle injury during the One Day International (ODI) World Cup last year, hinted at his comeback on January 27 through a video shared on social media. The former Indian vice-captain has successfully recuperated from the ankle injury that sidelined him from several white-ball series following the 2023 World Cup.
During India's first Test match against England in Hyderabad, all-rounder Pandya took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to display his bowling skills in the nets. The versatile player was observed bowling at full speed during the practice session. Pandya also shared an update regarding his comeback to competitive cricket. His recent social media post has quickly gained popularity. The 30-year-old is set to captain Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2024 IPL season.
"I'm feeling very good after coming back here. I treat (this ground) as a temple, because the amount of things I've learnt on this ground, it's like a temple for me. What it has taught me is priceless. My journey started literally 17 years back on this very ground. I will make sure everything possible today, and every day," the Mumbai Indians captain said.
The post has already garnered over 540 likes on Instagram.
Hardik completes MI homecoming for IPL 2024
Recovering from an ankle injury, flamboyant all-rounder was traded to MI from Gujarat Titans ahead of the 2024 season. MI secured Pandya's services in a cash-only deal and named him as Rohit Sharma's successor. Pandya, who served as Rohit’s deputy during the ODI World Cup in 2023, led Gujarat Titans to victory in their IPL debut. The 30-year-old boasts a record of 123 appearances in the cash-rich league, amassing over 2,300 runs and taking 53 wickets, making him a formidable player in T20 cricket. Pandya's most recent international appearance dates back to 2023 against Bangladesh.
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