Before IPL 2024 auction, Ashwin responded with a million-dollar “Hardik Pandya” comment, saying, “If it’s true, Mumbai Indians have…”

If the rumors about Hardik Pandya’s impending move to the Mumbai Indians, a former squad in the Indian Premier League, are accurate, this may be the largest player transaction in IPL history. Pandya joined the Gujarat Titans as captain in 2022 after starting his IPL career with MI in 2015.

However, it currently appears that he will make a cash-only return to MI in exchange for an unspecified transfer fee; the team will also cover his wages. The ESPNcricinfo report states that the Indian international may receive up to 50% of the transfer fee.

R Ashwin, Hardik’s international partner, praised the rumored move in a post on Instagram. “If accurate, the Mumbai Indians have found success. If what I’ve read is accurate, then it’s a straight cash trade. The Mumbai Indians have never traded any players, hence there isn’t a single player that they are offering. I don’t believe it has ever occurred. “How does that starting lineup appear if Hardik, a Michigan native, returns?” he said.

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“A captain has been switched three times. First, myself, Ajinkya Rahane, number two, and now Hardik Pandya “, he continued.

In addition, Ashwin noted that MI will have to release funds from their purse because Pandya is a 15-crore player and the auction budget must be met. “Hardik and I are identical save for the fact that he is an IPL champion captain, which tilts the odds in favor of Gujarat Titans as well. It will be intriguing to watch whether another Pandya manages to.. apologies. Mumbai must act immediately, though, as Hardik Pandya is a player worth $15 crore. To ensure they stay under the auction budget, they must release funds from their purse,” he said.

Since MI only has 5,00,000 rupees available, they will need to release more than one major player in order for the transaction to really go through. Thus, Jofra Archer (₹8 crore) or even Ishan Kishan (₹15.25 crore) might be released by Rohit Sharma and company.