Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya confirmed his return to the Mumbai Indians (MI) on November 27, marking a homecoming for the Indian all-rounder. His move back to MI was preceded by widespread rumors prior to the players’ retention deadline on November 26, with the Gujarat Titans (GT) including him in their list of retained players before the deadline. MI facilitated Pandya’s return by trading Cameron Green to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in an all-cash deal worth INR 17.5 Crore, thereby increasing their financial resources. His return to MI has been praised by Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who likened it to someone obtaining an MBA degree and returning home. Ashwin stated, “MI have got the Indian T20 captain who has won an IPL and came runner-up in 2023. Basically, he went to GT, became a leader, got an MBA degree and came back home.”
Pandya’s journey in the IPL has been remarkable, having been acquired by the Mumbai Indians in 2015 as an uncapped player for INR 10 Lakh, after which he played a pivotal role in their four title victories. However, ahead of the 2022 mega auction, MI decided to part ways with Pandya, leading to his move to the Gujarat Titans, where he led the team to an IPL title in their debut season and guided them to another final in 2023.
As the 2024 season approaches, Pandya is back where it all began, viewed as the successor to carry forward Rohit Sharma’s legacy in the years to come.
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