Hardik Pandya retained by Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2024 auction
Team India's talismanic all-rounder Hardik Pandya will stay with Gujarat Titans (GT) for the upcoming 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
It was widely speculated that Pandya was set to be traded by GT to his former franchise Mumbai Indians (MI) in an all-cash deal. However, the star cricketer ultimately remained with the Gujarat-based side.
Pandya has had a successful stint with GT. He led the side to a championship triumph in their maiden appearance in the league. Furthermore, the team finished as runners-up in the subsequent 2023 season.
His performance as the GT skipper helped him return to the national side and also earn a leadership role in the 20-over format. The official announcement of Gujarat retaining Hardik came on Sunday, November 26, quashing all the rumours surrounding his exit.
Notably, Hardik Pandya can still be traded from Gujarat to Mumbai, considering that the trading window is open until December 12. The rumours of the trade garnered a lot of attention. It remains to be seen if there are still some surprises in store for the fans.
Hardik Pandya-led GT release eight players ahead of IPL 2024 auction
GT have released a total of eight players in an attempt to spruce up their purse ahead of the IPL 2024 mini-auction. The franchise parted ways with Yash Dayal, K.S. Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Pradeep Sangwan, Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph, and Dasun Shanaka.
Gujarat showcased great consistency in this year's IPL. They won 10 out of their 14 league matches, finishing as the table-toppers. Their juggernaut came to a screeching halt, courtesy of Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) five-wicket win (DLS method) in the summit clash.
GT retained players for IPL 2024: David Miller, Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade, Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Hardik Pandya (C), Abhinav Manohar, B. Sai Sudharsan, Darshan Nalkande, Vijay Shankar, Jayant Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan, Joshua Little, and Mohit Sharma.