Hardik Pandya – The blockbuster trade that hurt two franchises

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya during the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In the end, the biggest transfer in Indian Premier League (IPL) history turned out to be a damp squib. Gujarat Titans (GT) lost their captain and team balance, while Mumbai Indians (MI) gained little.

Hardik Pandya moving from GT to his old franchise was the biggest buzz in the lead-up to this year’s IPL. Officially, MI paid GT Rs 15 crore to get back the star all-rounder. The five-time IPL champions decided to build for the future, and handed over the captaincy to Pandya. Rohit Sharma was removed from the post, and it didn’t go down well with a large section of fans.

Pandya was booed, he copped disgraceful social media abuse and it put him under pressure. The 30-year-old had made a mark as GT captain, winning the title in 2022 and finishing second a year later. But a star-studded MI dressing room proved to be a difficult place. To make matters worse, his form deserted him. In 13 matches so far, he has scored 200 runs at an average of 18.18 and a strike-rate of 144.92. He has taken 11 wickets at an average of 32.72 and an economy rate of 10.58. Pandya’s loss of form was a big reason for MI’s early elimination.

When the Mumbai-based franchise brought him back, they hoped he would be a match-winner. Pandya, on song, has the ability to single-handedly win games. He proved that time and again, especially in the 2019 IPL that MI won. Pandya was the star performer for his team, scoring 402 runs in 16 matches and taking 14 wickets. From that perspective, this season has been underwhelming, so much so that he was called a liability.

“Mumbai Indians are still a very good team on paper but being managed very poorly,” said Irfan Pathan, former Indian all-rounder. “Especially, if Hardik Pandya as a leader lacks form, he will become a weak link for his own team.”

MI’s pain didn’t prove to be GT’s gain. They lost a leader and a genuine all-rounder who provided balance to the side. In 2022, Pandya had 487 runs from 15 games and eight wickets. In 2023, he made 346 runs in 16 games and bowled economically. His departure left a gaping hole that the franchise could not fill. Like MI, they too failed to qualify for the playoffs this term.

Despite the setback, however, MI have retained faith in Pandya and it is learnt that they will go to the 2025 mega auction under his captaincy. The franchise half-expected a bumpy ride this term, with a new captain bedding in. They will start afresh next season.

In exclusive arrangement with RevSportz