Gujarat Titans' captain might be on the brink of a significant move back to his former team, the Mumbai Indians, just two years into his tenure with Gujarat as per reports in the media. Hardik Pandya, leading the Gujarat side to victory in their inaugural campaign, faced defeat in the final against MS Dhoni's Chennai in a nail-biting finish during his second season in 2023. Former cricketer Aakash Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel, expressed skepticism about Pandya's potential move to Mumbai Indians if he doesn't have the captaincy.
"A rumour is doing the rounds that Hardik is moving towards Mumbai. It has been heard, no confirmation has come. If he is leaving, firstly Gujarat are releasing him - won once and reached the final once. If he is leaving, will he be made Mumbai's captain? Why would you go if you are not being made the captain?" Aakash Chopra questioned on his YouTube channel.
"I have not heard the end or the start of this story properly. So I am waiting and watching that what happens there because it seems like something will happen. There is no smoke without fire and there is smoke for sure that Hardik is going. However, will Rohit Sharma go to GT? Is that a possibility - I don't know," he further added.
Pandya, presently sidelined due to injury, isn't participating in the India vs Australia T20I series. His injury occurred during India's World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh, preventing further participation in the tournament.
Aakash Chopra also believes that Mumbai Indians could deliberate over the status of Jofra Archer in their squad. He speculates that the team might weigh their options considering the return of Jasprit Bumrah. With a significant investment of eight crores tied up, there's a question of whether it's worthwhile to retain Archer. Chopra suggested that releasing Archer could provide financial flexibility by adding funds back into the purse.