Hardik Pandya's move back to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) ignited a flurry of reactions, including a crazy one from his India teammate Ravichandran Ashwin.
Ravichandran Ashwin described Hardik Pandya's return to Mumbai Indians in a unique way.
“After Hardik, they have landed gold. They have got an Indian T20 Team captain, who has won an IPL and became runner-up in the last two years in which he was away. It's like calling up your son and telling him, ‘Hey son, here's some money go live the world, man. Go and get an MBA degree',” Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“So he basically went to GT, became a leader, got an MBA degree and came back home. It's crazy man. He has won a title and become a runner-up, and he became a titlist by the margin of one ball, here and there,” Ravichandran Ashwin elaborated.
Hardik Pandya confirmed the news with a post on the influential messaging app.
“Home. MI Home,” Hardik Pandya wrote on the microblogging platform.
He thanked his supporters for the love he got from them during his stint with the Gujarat Titans.
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the fans, team, and management at Gujarat Titans. Being part of the team and leading it has been an absolute honor, and I am immensely thankful for the love and encouragement my family and I have received as a player and as an individual. The memories and experiences with GT will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for the unforgettable journey,” Hardik Pandya noted on Twitter.
Interestingly, speculation was rife that the Team India all-rounder would replace Rohit Sharma as skipper of five-time champions Mumbai Indians.
Hardik Pandya became GT's captain in their maiden IPL season in 2022, leading the Ahmedabad-based franchise to the title in the elite T20 competition.
During IPL 2023, Hardik Pandya's team topped the points table during the group stage before making it to the final. However, the Gujarat Titans failed to lift their second successive IPL trophy after losing to MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings in the title clash.
Following his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians in 2015, Hardik Pandya played for the side for seven consecutive seasons before parting ways to join Gujarat Titans during the 2022 season.
During his seven-year stint with Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya was a crucial link in the Rohit Sharma-led team's title-winning campaigns in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
Besides Hardik Pandya's tweet, Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians confirmed the development in separate statements.
“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 endeavors,” Gujarat Titans' Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki said.
“Seeing Hardik back at Mumbai Indians makes me very happy. It is a happy homecoming. He provides great balance to any team he plays. Hardik's first stint with the MI family was hugely successful, and we hope he achieves even more success in his second stint,” MI co-owner Akash Ambani remarked.
“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 M. Ambani added.
Hardik Pandya's departure to Mumbai Indians paved the way for Shubman Gill's appointment as the leader of the Gujarat Titans pack.
“Shubman Gill has shown growth in stature and standing over the last two years at the highest level of the game. We've seen him mature not only as a batter but also as a leader in cricket,” Vikram Solanki observed.
“His maturity and skill is evident in his on-field performance and we are extremely excited to embark on a new journey with a young leader like Shubman at the helm,” he concluded.
Speaking about Hardik Pandya's contribution to India's failed ICC World Cup campaign, the all-rounder featured in only four matches before sustaining an ankle injury that ruled him out of the quadrennial tournament.
Eventually, favorites India lost the final to Australia by six wickets after remaining undefeated en route to the title clash against the Kangaroos.
Since his freak October 19 injury, Hardik Pandya has been recovering at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, with no date yet announced for his return.
In his absence, Suryakumar Yadav has been captaining the Indian cricket team in the five-match T20I series against Australia.
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