"Hardik Pandya was far more valuable before the Impact Player rule" - Aakash Chopra on all-rounder's reported Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians move
Aakash Chopra reckons Hardik Pandya's reported move from the Gujarat Titans (GT) to the Mumbai Indians (MI) might not be as big a blow to the IPL 2022 champions as it would have been before the Impact Player rule.
Pandya has officially not yet been traded from GT to MI. However, reports suggest that the all-rounder will return to his former franchise, with Cameron Green consequently moving to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to make the requisite budget available.
Reflecting on the development in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Pandya's potential move will be a huge loss to the Gujarat Titans as skipper but might not be as big a setback skill-wise. He explained (3:30):
"Gujarat would have gained financially but the team didn't gain at all. A captain who won you the title in the first year and took you to the final in the second year is no longer a part of your squad. They might have thought something if they are doing that."
The former India opener added:
"It could be a business transaction or something else also. They will go looking for who they can get as Hardik Pandya's replacement. Hardik Pandya was far more valuable before the Impact Player rule because no player had two skills."
Chopra pointed out that the Titans can fill the all-rounder's spot with a batter and a bowler. He added that the Ahmedabad-based franchise might give the captaincy to Shubman Gill.
"It doesn't sit right" - Aakash Chopra on Hardik Pandya being India's T20I captain despite no longer leading in the IPL
Aakash Chopra feels Hardik Pandya leading the Men in Blue in T20I cricket despite potentially not captaining his franchise in the IPL doesn't seem correct. He elaborated (5:00):
"The one thing that won't look good on Hardik's CV is that he left Mumbai because he wanted to become a captain. You went to Gujarat and then became the Indian captain. You will no longer be a franchise captain now but you still want to be India's captain - it doesn't sit right."
The cricketer-turned-commentator added:
"It doesn't look right whether you look from optics or any other angle, that you are not your franchise's captain but are India's captain in the T20 World Cup. It doesn't sound right but so be it."
The Mumbai Indians could consider giving the captaincy to Pandya, especially if Rohit Sharma decides not to play T20I cricket any longer.