Multiple IPL franchises have made fresh inquiries to Mumbai Indians over Hardik Pandya
The 32-year-old all-rounder is valued highly when fully fit and available
Fitness remains a concern after he was ruled out of the India A squad for the Australia ODI series
Hardik Pandya is attracting renewed interest from IPL franchises, with at least one team understood to have made fresh inquiries about the all-rounder. The 32-year-old is a high-value player when fully fit, although it is still too early to say whether the interest will turn into a formal trade with Mumbai Indians.
Cricbuzz have revealed that multiple teams have made inquiries and approaches to the Mumbai Indians management over Pandya, with one franchise understood to have shown more interest than the rest.
Multiple Franchise Inquiries
Pandya is still among world cricket’s top all-rounders and can change a match when fit. India want him in peak condition for next year’s World Cup, and head coach Gautam Gambhir recently highlighted his value to the side for his quick scoring and brisk pace with the ball.
Fitness And Form
Fitness is still a question for Pandya. He has not played competitive cricket since the IPL and a recent injury ruled him out of the India A squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting Tuesday (October 6). As previously reported by Cricbuzz, franchises must judge which Pandya they are buying — the one who thrived with Gujarat Titans or the one who found captaincy harder at Mumbai Indians.
Captaincy And Trade Timing
Pandya’s captaincy also matters in the IPL. He led Gujarat Titans for two seasons, lifted the trophy in his first, and took them to the final in the next. His time as Mumbai Indians skipper has produced weaker results, though other issues may have influenced that run. A different environment could help him find his rhythm as a leader again.
Mumbai Indians management has held discussions with a few franchises over a potential Pandya trade, including Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. With Zaheer Khan now at the helm at CSK, the general impression is that the possibility of a move there has receded, given the history between the two from their time together at Mumbai Indians.
However, interpersonal relations and professional equations can change with time and circumstances, and the current dynamic between Zaheer and Pandya can only be a matter of speculation. There may also not be too much time for all concerned to arrive at a decision on a potential Pandya trade. The deadline for retentions ahead of the mid-December auction in Goa is November 15. Normally, franchises plan for the season through their retentions and releases before executing those plans at the auction.
Something more concrete could take shape over the next three to four weeks. The trading window is currently open. It will close one week before the auction, reopen a week after the auction and remain open until one month before the start of the season. It is unlikely that the process will take that long, although Mumbai Indians sources maintain that they are not in a hurry.
A quick deal suits everyone. It lets franchises get the best return from their players before the cycle closes, after which they can no longer move them in trades and must choose only between retention and release.
