The IPL 2024 trade window has stirred up major excitement with the potential return of Hardik Pandya to his former team, the Mumbai Indians. Rumors are swirling about a swap deal on the horizon, with Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans considering exchanging Hardik Pandya for Jofra Archer. This development is creating quite a buzz in the cricket circles.
Mumbai acquired Jofra Archer for INR 8 crore in the IPL 2022 auction, but his stint with the team has been marred by setbacks. A persistent elbow injury kept him out of the entire IPL 2022 season, and in IPL 2023, he managed only 5 matches before the same elbow issue flared up again, forcing him to sit out the rest of the tournament.
Adding to Mumbai’s woes, Archer’s absence extended to the World Cup 2023, where he couldn’t represent England due to the lingering elbow problem. The recovery process is expected to take a couple more months, making Mumbai’s significant investment in Archer appear increasingly questionable. It’s now speculated that the team might consider releasing or trading him as they reassess their options.
News18 has suggested the possibility of a potential exchange involving Pandya and Archer. Additionally, there is speculation that Pandya might take on the leadership role for the Mumbai Indians once Rohit Sharma decides to step down or retire.
“It is also possible that MI may request Hardik to fill in for Archer’s position and wait for a year before taking over as captain by replacing Rohit,” a report in News18 said.
In 2022, Hardik Pandya,one of the finest Indian all-rounder and former Mumbai Indians batsman, took on the role of captain for the newly introduced Gujarat Titans in the IPL. The dynamic duo of Pandya and Ashish Nehra quickly proved their mettle, securing the IPL title that season. Although they reached the final again in 2023, the Titans fell short, losing to MS Dhoni’s CSK. Contrastingly, the Mumbai Indians haven’t made it to an IPL final since 2020, despite a close call this year that ended in defeat during the Qualifier 2.
Looking ahead, the IPL 2024 transfer window closes on November 26, with the auction set for December 19 in Dubai, marking the first time the event will be held outside India.
Unfortunately, Hardik Pandya, recovering from an ankle injury sustained during the World Cup, will miss both the Australia T20I series and the South Africa tour.
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