‘Captain kaun hoga ab’ – Fans react as Gujarat Titans’ captain Hardik Pandya moves back to Mumbai Indians for IPL 2024

Gujarat Titans skipper and all-rounder Hardik Pandya has returned to his former IPL team franchise Mumbai Indians after leading the Titans for two seasons of the IPL. Under Pandya’s leadership, Gujarat Titans lifted their maiden IPL title in 2022 and to the finals in IPL 2023 where they were defeated by Chennai Super Kings. 

There were multiple rumours that Hardik Pandya had been traded to Mumbai Indians before the retention window. However, while announcing their retained players, Gujarat Titans named Hardik Pandya initially but then traded him to Mumbai within a few hours of the closure, before heading to the IPL 2024 auction. 

“Hardik and MI reached the decision a couple of months before the World Cup. The Titans management and Hardik have had growing differences. It’s up to the two franchises to firm up the modalities and formalize the deal. An announcement will be made only after that,” a close source of the Indian cricket board previously told the Times of India before the closure of the retention window. 

In a recent post on his social media accounts, Hardik Pandya expressed his happiness to be back in his former IPL team franchise in Mumbai Indians while sharing the video of the Mumbai Indians team management picking him in the auction, he wrote, “This brings back so many wonderful memories. Mumbai. Wankhede. Paltan. Feels good to be back. 💙 #OneFamily @mipaltan”  

Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans squad before IPL 2024 auction 

Mumbai Indians players: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal.

Gujarat Titans players: David Miller, Shubman Gill (c), Matthew Wade, Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Abhinav Manohar, B Sai Sudharsan, Darshan Nalkande, Vijay Shankar, Jayant Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, R Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan, Josh Little, Mohit Sharma.

Look how the fans reacted – 

Mumbai Indians were incomplete without Hardik.

— Ashish Pandit (@Ashish_Pandit02) November 27, 2023

Only pandya knows what deal happened

— Samriddhi Singh♥️ (@Samridd90774225) November 27, 2023

will he be the captain or Rohit will continue?

— Vinod (@Rocky23697) November 27, 2023

MI will win this time

— Web Wizard (@speckydude_js) November 27, 2023

Ambani Hai to Mumkin hai pic.twitter.com/Ha7iALMARD

— 💪🎭..Rai ji..💪🎭 (@Vinod_r108) November 27, 2023

hardik pandya is great alrounder. he have play very important role in the team . batting ,bowling and fieldng everything he have .

— whatever (@Ustad102) November 27, 2023

Welcome back Hardik 😄 pic.twitter.com/zFneGk8qIV

— Pankaj (@Pankaj41627) November 27, 2023

MI fans would be the most happiest right now pic.twitter.com/nXcDgY0pEk

— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) November 27, 2023