Has Hardik Pandya been retained by MI ahead of IPL 2025 Auction?
Hardik Pandya has been retained by the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction. Along with him, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma will stay with the franchise for the upcoming season.
MI announced their final retentions on official social media accounts on Wednesday (October 31). Their statement read as:
“We have always believed that the strength of a family lies in its core and this belief has been reinforced during the course of recent events. We are thrilled that the strong legacy of MI will be carried forward by Jasprit, Surya, Hardik, Rohit and Tilak - players who have become synonymous with our team and the brand of cricket we stand for."
After leading the Gujarat Titans to the playoffs (title in 2022) for two seasons on the trot, Hardik returned to MI and captained the franchise in IPL 2024. However, the side finished last in the points table with only four wins in 14 appearances. He had an underwhelming season with the bat, accumulating only 216 runs at an average of 18. He fared better with the ball, taking 11 wickets.
Nevertheless, Hardik has been trusted by the team management due to his impressive form for the national team.
How has Hardik Pandya performed for MI in the IPL?
Hardik Pandya began his Indian Premier League (IPL) career with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2015. His knock of 61* off 31 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders paved the way for entry into the Indian T20I team.
In 2017, Pandya made a strong impact by scoring 250 runs and taking six wickets to help MI lift the title. The following season witnessed him producing his best-ever performance with the ball as he collected 18 wickets.
Pandya's best all-round season came in 2019, where he smashed 402 runs at an average of 44.66 and a strike rate of 191.42. He also bagged 14 wickets as the franchise went on to lift the title for the fourth time.
In the 2020 season, Pandya contributed 281 runs and didn't send down any overs due to a back injury. He had a dismal 2021 season, where he scored only 127 runs at an average of 14.11. After that, he was released from the squad and then led the Gujarat Titans.
Pandya, who has represented the franchise in 106 games, has scored 1,692 runs and taken 53 wickets.