The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recently issued player retention guidelines for all teams ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, with the final retention lists expected by October 31, 2024. One of the most talked-about players in this context is Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, whose future with Mumbai Indians is a significant point of discussion.
Hardik Pandya’s Return to Mumbai Indians
In a blockbuster move during the IPL 2024 auction, Hardik Pandya made a highly anticipated return to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans, a team he led to victory in 2022 and took to the final in 2023. Pandya’s return to Mumbai Indians after two seasons away became a pivotal moment, especially since he replaced Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians’ captain, a decision that drew widespread debate among fans. However, the move did not pan out as expected for the franchise, with Mumbai Indians struggling throughout the season. Pandya, despite his leadership skills and past IPL successes, could not steer the team to better results. Now, with the IPL 2025 auction looming, Mumbai Indians is expected to retain him, albeit with a pay cut, keeping him at a still sizable Rs 14 crore price point.
Performance of Hardik Pandya in IPL 2024
Pandya’s statistics in IPL 2024 reflected his struggles, with his batting contributions being below par compared to previous seasons. In 14 matches, he scored just 216 runs at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 143.05. This was a marked decline from his performances in earlier years. For instance, in the 2020 season, Pandya had an impressive strike rate of 178.98 and averaged 35.12 with the bat. His standout IPL performance remains the 2019 season, where he scored 402 runs, boasting an average of 44.66 and a strike rate of 191.42. Despite a dip in form, Pandya’s potential as a world-class all-rounder remains unquestionable, and Mumbai Indians will likely continue to invest in him for the future.
Hardik Pandya’s Unorthodox Batting Style
Aside from being captain, Hardik Pandya’s batting style has garnered significant interest. Recently, Indian opener Sanju Samson praised Pandya’s unique technique, especially his impressive no-look upper-cut shot. In an interview after India’s T20I series against Bangladesh, Samson expressed admiration for how effectively Pandya executes this difficult shot, even ranking him above Virender Sehwag in skill. This highlights Pandya’s technical prowess and reinforces his reputation as a dynamic player capable of changing a match’s outcome in an instant.
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