IPL 2024

Sunil Gavaskar credits Mumbai Indians’ team atmosphere for Hardik Pandya’s return

Dec 18, 2023 8:00 pm

Hardik Pandya’s return to the Mumbai Indians, and even more surprisingly, his appointment as captain, has sent shockwaves through the cricket world. Fans and pundits are still grappling with the implications of this homecoming, especially after his successful stint as leader of the Gujarat Titans. Remember, Pandya spent seven years as a beloved member of the MI family before their reluctant release due to retention restrictions in 2022. His subsequent rise to Titans captaincy and their stunning IPL debut victory was etched in cricket history. Though they narrowly missed repeating the feat in 2023, Pandya’s leadership continued to impress.

Hardik Pandya’s meteoric rise with the Gujarat Titans seemed like a match made in IPL heaven. Yet, the cricketing world was turned upside down when news of Pandya’s trade back to the Mumbai Indians broke. While MI’s desire to reclaim their prodigal son was clear, the rationale behind Gujarat’s decision remains shrouded in mystery. Letting go of a proven leader and all-rounder of Pandya’s calibre, right after he delivered tangible results, is a head-scratcher that continues to puzzle fans and pundits alike.

“It tells you of the wonderful family atmosphere that MI have created” – Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar, the legendary Indian batsman, weighed in on Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians homecoming. He likened the feeling to that of Indians living abroad who eventually return to their homeland. The sentiment transcends mere familiarity; it’s a deep pull towards a place that holds memories, comfort, and a sense of belonging.

“There’s plenty of speculation still going on as to why he wanted to leave and go back to where he had started, but then, aren’t there so many instances of very successful Indians overseas who have preferred to give all that up and come back home? Pandya has never made a secret of the fact that he considers Mumbai Indians as his home. It tells you of the wonderful family atmosphere that the Mumbai Indians have created where even those who have left have nothing but good things to say about the franchise,” he said.

Gavaskar also said that MI was right in relieving Rohit Sharma of captaincy duties as he hasn’t been at his best with the bat in the last few seasons. “In the last two years, Rohit’s contribution, even with the bat, has dipped a little bit. Earlier, he used to score big, but in the last two years they finished No. 9 or No. 10 the year before last year and in the last year they qualified for the playoffs. Maybe, he was a little tired because of playing continuous cricket, he was a little tired because of captaincy, leading India and the franchise,” he said.