After two consecutive IPL finals with the Gujarat Titans, one of which he won, Hardik Pandya's return to the Mumbai Indians in 2024 had already made him a hot topic of conversation that season.
The MI management's decision to hand him the captaincy, effectively demoting Rohit Sharma, left fans furious. Now, three years on, Hardik has reportedly reopened talks with GT, exploring the possibility of another switch back.
While the franchise was open to bringing him back, it was crucial for the management to first take skipper Shubman Gill into confidence.
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Gill had played under Hardik's captaincy after joining the Titans in 2022. When Hardik moved to Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 season, Gill stepped in as his successor.
Despite leading GT to a runners-up finish last season, Gill reportedly gave the franchise his approval to bring Hardik back following the all-rounder's turbulent stint at MI.
However, the talks reportedly hit a snag once GT's management and Gill learnt that Hardik also wanted the captaincy back as part of the deal. That's when the Titans bosses and Gill drew a clear line, making it known that this particular condition was a non-starter.
"The franchise was fine with him making a return. They had even discussed the same with its captain Shubman Gill, and he, too, had agreed that the franchise could trade him back. But when his condition of captaincy was put up, everyone said no to it," Indian Express quoted a source as saying.
With Hardik and Mumbai Indians reportedly headed for a split over several unresolved issues, the all-rounder remains on the lookout for a new franchise.
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He has been linked with both the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Chennai Super Kings in recent weeks, though neither move has been confirmed so far.
The KKR might be Hardik's best option if captaining a team continues to be a top priority. KKR needs a new skipper as Ajinkya Rahane has retired from Indian domestic and international cricket.
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