In a recent development regarding Hardik Pandya, there are reports suggesting that the all-rounder might be sidelined from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season due to his ankle injury.
In a situation marked by uncertainty, the 30-year-old was transferred from Gujarat Titans (GT) to Mumbai Indians (MI) last month. Initially, Hardik was listed as retained by Gujarat Titans when the retention list was unveiled.
However, subsequent reports indicated that he had been traded to MI. A day after the retention list deadline passed, both franchises, MI and GT, officially confirmed the trade.
In a notable development a few days ago, Mumbai Indians appointed Pandya as their new captain for the IPL 2024 season, taking over from Rohit Sharma, who had been leading the team since 2013.
However, as per a report from NDTV, there is a high likelihood that the all-rounder may not participate in the upcoming IPL season, as he is unlikely to completely recover from the injury he suffered during the 2023 ODI World Cup. The website mentioned that their sources have confirmed this information.
Pandya has been sidelined since he injured his ankle in a league match against Bangladesh during the 2023 World Cup while attempting to stop a ball in his follow-through.
In the ICC event, he participated in four matches, contributing an unbeaten 11 in the one innings he batted. Through his pace bowling, he secured five wickets with an average of 22.60, achieving a best of 2/34 against Pakistan.
“It was a tough decision” – Mahela Jayawardene’s views on Pandya as the new MI captain after Rohit
Despite the uncertainty about his injury, Mumbai Indians not only acquired Hardik Pandya from Gujarat but also designated him as the captain, a choice that faced criticism from fans of Rohit Sharma and MI.
Discussing this major decision, Mahela Jayawardene, the Global Head of Cricket for Mumbai Indians, acknowledged that it was a challenging choice.
“It was a tough decision. It was emotional, to be honest. It’s fair on the fans as well (to react). I think everyone is emotional and we have to respect that as well. But at the same time, as a franchise, you have to make those decisions,” Jayawardene told Jio Cinema.
“Hardik has been in the dressing room for quite some time, so that’s nothing new. We know what he brings in as an all-rounder,” he went on to add.
Pandya has featured in 92 games for MI, accumulating 1476 runs at a strike rate of 153.91. As a bowler, he has taken 42 wickets with an average of 31.26 and an economy rate of 9.06.
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