Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya is reportedly set to leave the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and return to the Mumbai Indians, where he began his IPL journey in 2015.
The trade is expected to be an all-cash deal, with Mumbai Indians paying INR 15 crore (approximately $1.8 million) as Hardik's salary and an undisclosed transfer fee to the Gujarat Titans. Hardik stands to earn up to 50% of the transfer fee.
If the deal goes through, it could potentially be the biggest player trade in IPL history. Both franchises are yet to make any public comments on the reported trade.
Hardik Pandya, who led the Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in 2022 and took them to the final again in 2023, has been a key player for the team. In his two-season stint with the Titans, he scored 833 runs in 30 innings with an average of 41.65 and a strike rate of 133.49. He also took 11 wickets with an economy of 8.1.
The Mumbai Indians, facing the challenge of having adequate purse space for the trade, will need to release players to make room for Hardik Pandya.
The retention deadline expires on November 26, and the franchises will get an additional INR 5 crore (approximately $600,000) in their purse for the upcoming auction.
Hardik Pandya began his IPL career with the Mumbai Indians in 2015 and played a crucial role in the team's title-winning seasons in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
(With Agency Inputs)
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