The cricket world has gone crazy over the trade agreement that the Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans made to acquire great all-arounder Hardik Pandya’s services before the 2024 Indian Premier League. The five-time winners will be led by Hardik Pandya in the competition’s 17th iteration.
However, was Hardik’s decision to rejoin the Mumbai Indians just motivated by a need to stay with his childhood team? It’s said that there’s more to it.
The Titans’ decision to part with captain Hardik Pandya, a huge role in the team, was puzzling. Furthermore, if we dig deeper, a story from The Indian Express claims that it was much more than just a transaction involving the player’s salary.
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Hardik Pandya’s trade benefitted Gujarat Titans more than Mumbai Indians.
After the trade was completed, a report by The Indian Express surfaced, speculating that the Mumbai Indians had paid a high transfer fee to acquire the all-round player. Although a particular amount was not stated, it is suspected that Gujarat Titans received a payment of INR 100 crore in exchange for Pandya’s release.
It was also discovered that the 2025 tournament’s massive auction was a major contributing reason to Hardik Pandya’s decision to join the Mumbai Indians. With former captain Rohit Sharma nearing the end of his playing days, the five-time champions were aiming to solidify their core group for the future, thus choosing Pandya as the team’s leader seemed like a wise move.
Additionally, Pandya’s sale benefited Gujarat Titans in several ways. In 2021, CVC Capital paid INR 5625 crore to participate in the IPL; in contrast to MI, which is managed by a business family, GT is not. It is noteworthy that Gujarat’s purse went booming by ₹15 crore after the Pandya trade.
When the Pandya deal’s earnings are revealed on CVC Capital’s balance sheet after the fiscal year, a rise in the company’s valuation is anticipated.
After a few disappointing seasons, the Mumbai Indians will be eager to perform well in the 17th edition of the IPL. It will be intriguing to watch how Pandya’s presence affects the five-time champions. The Mumbai Indians won their last IPL title in 2020.
