Hardik Pandya is a very important player in the Indian cricket team. The star fast bowling all-rounder provides a balance to the side like no other players can. He is currently among the top all-rounders in the world. However, the star all-rounder has been injury-prone too. He had a length injury break before making a comeback in the IPL and the Indian cricket team. In the recently-concluded ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, Hardik Pandya was supposed to play a crucial role as a finisher with the bat and the sixth bowling option.
However, Hardik Pandik's time at the Cricket World Cup was cut short as he suffered an ankle injury as he tried to stop a ball off his own bowling in a game against Bangladesh. He missed the remaining matches. He has also not been named in any of India's squads for the Tour of South Africa.
On his injury-prone nature, former Indian cricket team star Ajay Jadeja had a funny take.
"You get a fast-bowling all-rounder very rarely," the anchor told Ajay Jadeja in a YouTube Live on Sports Tak.
"You didn't get the meaning. He is a very 'rare' talent, he is rarely seen on the ground. Hai toh rare waise. (He is indeed rare.)"
Ahead of the IPL 2024 retention list release, the intrigue surrounding Hardik Pandya's likely move back to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans was at it peak. Though Hardik Pandya was initially named in GT's retained players' list, sources told NDTV after the deadline was over that the star all-rounder had been traded-off with Mumbai Indians.
A day later, the IPL officially confirmed the move. Spin stalwart Ravichandran Ashwin feels that if all-rounder Hardik Pandya is made the Mumbai Indians skipper, Rohit Sharma will "handle it with grace" as the Team India captain "does not have much ego".
Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians recently after an all-cash deal trade-off with Gujarat Titans, the IPL side he led for two years.
Pandya, who had started his IPL journey with Mumbai Indians in 2015 and won four titles, moved to Gujarat Titans in 2022 and led the side to title triumph the same season, besides helping it finish runners-up in IPL 2023.
The trade-off to bring Pandya back to the MI fold raised several eyebrows, especially in terms of the franchise's captaincy, which is currently with Rohit.
"Rohit Sharma does not have much ego. He is a great human being and a sound leader. He will handle it with grace (if Pandya is made MI leader)," Ashwin was quoted as saying news agency PTI during a YouTube interaction with former cricketer S. Badrinath.
"In the history of IPL, apart from the top four to five teams, all have released players. Mumbai and CSK have never done it. I know Hardik to an extent. I see this move as a milestone achievement," he added.
With PTI inputs