Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians captain for IPL 2024.
Mumbai: Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya joined the camp on Monday and performed puja inside the dressing room, seeking God’s blessings ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. Hardik, who spent two seasons at Gujarat Titans in 2022 and 2023, returned to his home in a mega all-cash trade deal when he returned to the five-time champions soon after the auctions were held last year in December. Mumbai Indians had to pay Rs 15 crores to Gujarat Titans for Pandya, who replaced Rohit Sharma as the team captain.
चला सुरु करूया 🙏🥥#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/XBs5eJFdfS
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 11, 2024
In a video shared by Mumbai Indians, Pandya was seen setting up a mandir and put a garland on the diety’s photo. Then Mumbai Indians head coach Mark Boucher broke a coconut as a good luck ritual. Pandya also offered sweets to the God before hugging everyone.
For the unknown, Pandya was injured midway into the ODI World Cup in the game against Bangladesh and didn’t play any form of cricket until earlier this month. The India all-rounder spent some time at the NCA for his recovery before training in Baroda for the upcoming IPL.
He announced his comeback to cricket after injury in the DY Patil T20 Cup in Mumbai, a corporate tournament. Meanwhile, during the auctions, the five-time IPL champions made a pretty good shopping in Dubai. They strengthened their pace attack with the addition of South African Gerald Coetzee and Sri Lankan pace duo of Dilshan Madushanka and Nuwan Thushara.
While Madhushanka was Sri Lanka’s highest wicket-taker in ODI World Cup, Thushara is known as Malinga 2.0 for his sling action. Mumbai Indians are sorted as far batting is concerned boasting the likes of Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Rohit Sharma in the top five.
Players Mumbai Indians Bought at IPL 2024 Auction: Gerald Coetzee (Rs. 5 crore), Dilshan Madushanka (Rs. 4.60 crore), Shreyas Gopal (Rs. 20 lakh), Nuwan Thushara (Rs. 4.80 crore), Naman Dhir (Rs. 20 lakh), Anshul Kamboj (Rs. 20 lakh), Mohammad Nabi (Rs. 1.5 crore), Shivalik Sharma (Rs. 20 lakh).
Mumbai Indians Squad For IPL 2024: Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd, Hardik Pandya (c), Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma.