Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians (MI) captain, was seen at the nets after joining the team to prepare for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. The all-rounder looked in fantastic form as he timed the majority of the balls from the middle of the bat.
Hardik Pandya returned to his old IPL franchise following a trade between the Mumbai Indians and the Gujarat Titans (GT). After being released by MI before of the 2022 big auction, the 30-year-old joined the Gujarat franchise. Under Pandya, GT won the IPL title in their first season in 2022 and finished second in 2023.
MI made the controversial decision to select the Baroda all-rounder as captain for the IPL 2024 season, replacing Rohit Sharma. The latter has been at the lead since 2013 and had led the Mumbai Indians to five titles.
On Tuesday, March 12, the Mumbai Indians’ official social media accounts published a video of Pandya’s first training session for IPL 2024. The clip, which shows the right-hander playing aggressively, was uploaded with the caption:
“????️???? ASMR | Hardik in the nets ????.”
On Monday, the Mumbai Indians tweeted a video of Pandya entering their pre-season training.
The captain put up a little mandir in the dressing room and did pooja, with head coach Mark Boucher.
Hardik Pandya’s Trade to MI: Brad Hogg Believes It’s No Big Loss for Gujarat Titans
Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg believes the Gujarat Titans would not miss their former skipper Pandya significantly in the IPL 2024. On the other hand, he believes that GT is better off without him.
“I don’t think Hardik Pandya is that big a loss really (for GT). Yes, he is a quality all-rounder in the middle order, but they can cover it. They have got really good bowling depth there. He was batting in the top order, but I don’t think he was best suited there, so Gujarat Titans are better off without him.”
Brad Hogg
On the versatile cricketer’s comeback to the Mumbai Indians, Brad Hogg commented:
“Mumbai are better off having an Indian all-rounder batting in the lower middle order and I think that’s where Hardik will bat. I think we will see Hardik back at his best with Mumbai Indians.”
Brad Hogg
MI will start their IPL 2024 campaign against GT on March 24 in Ahmedabad.