• Source:JND

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya could be on the move again, with reports suggesting he may leave the franchise before the 20th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Hardik started his IPL journey with Mumbai Indians in 2015 and stayed with the team until 2021. Before the 2022 season, Gujarat Titans signed him and appointed him captain. He led the new franchise for two seasons before returning to Mumbai Indians as skipper.

During his three seasons as captain of Mumbai Indians, the team finished 10th, third and ninth in the IPL points table.

Who all are interested in Hardik Pandya?

According to a report by The Times of India, as many as seven IPL franchises are interested in signing Hardik during the transfer window. The report added that Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad are the only two teams that are not in the race.

Among the teams showing interest, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are believed to be leading the chase, with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) also making a strong push. Rajasthan Royals (RR) are reportedly another franchise seriously exploring the possibility of signing the star all-rounder.

ALSO READ: 'It's Like Talking to Your Brother': Shreyas Iyer's Emotional Words For Rohit Sharma Ahead Of England Series Goes Viral, WATCH Video

Hardik Shifted to BCCI CoE

Meanwhile, Hardik has also made a major change away from the cricket field. According to PTI, he has shifted his base to Bengaluru and plans to use the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (COE) as his permanent training base for the rest of his playing career.

This is an unusual decision because centrally contracted Indian players usually visit the COE only for injury rehabilitation, fitness tests or national training camps. Although Hardik is from Baroda in Gujarat, he spent most of the past decade living in Mumbai and training at Mumbai Indians' facility in Ghansoli.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Tonks Sixes In Nets Ahead of India vs England 1st T20I, Debut Speculation Intensifies

The 32-year-old is currently recovering from a quadriceps injury, which ruled him out of India's ongoing white-ball tour of the UK. He has already spent a significant amount of time at the Centre of Excellence over the past six months.

"Hardik has already permanently shifted to Bengaluru. He has rented a property on the outskirts of the city, close to the COE. He will be the first Indian cricketer to make the COE his permanent training base for the remainder of his career," a BCCI source told the news agency.

"Hardik wanted to move out of Mumbai as commuting every day from his Lower Parel residence for training had become a problem. As a centrally contracted cricketer, he has access to every facility at the COE, from injury management to skills training.

"Hence, he took the decision to make the COE his permanent base whenever he is not on IPL, state or national duty," the source said.


Also In News