Hardik Pandya is currently India’s favorite all-rounder due to his performances in the recently held T20 World Cup. Whether it’s about scoring crucial runs for India in important games or bowling the last six balls of the World Cup final and defending 16 precious runs, he came through with flying colors, helping India clinch the ICC Trophy.
However, it is no secret that just before the World Cup, the IPL 2024 was a nightmare for Pandya. With poor performances with both bat and ball, questionable captaincy, and boos from the crowd, Pandya’s IPL journey was disappointing. MI finished tenth that season.
Looking ahead, the team might seek new combinations with potential departures of Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav. The current buzz is around the mega auction meeting between the BCCI and IPL teams scheduled for July 31.
Recently, Pandya lost the T20I captaincy to Suryakumar Yadav for the series against Sri Lanka. Also, during the last IPL 2024, there was a vote of no confidence regarding Pandya’s captaincy of the Mumbai Indians.
Despite his recent redemption, the question remains: what if Pandya is not retained as MI’s captain or is released? If that happens, which teams might be interested in this top all-rounder? Here’s a look at three IPL teams that could show interest in him ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Teams that may target Hardik Pandya at IPL 2025
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
All the teams mentioned here have one thing in common: they all need a lethal all-rounder. For LSG, the current scenario is that they may not retain captain KL Rahul, which means they would lose both a skipper and a batter. If this happens, we can expect LSG to bid for Hardik Pandya for several reasons.
Firstly, he offers solid bowling and batting options. Despite a recent poor outing, his capability is well-known, and his captaincy record instills trust in any franchise. With the Gujarat Titans (GT) had a successful outing
Also, Pandya’s brother, Krunal Pandya, who plays for the same franchise, could provide a significant boost if they play together. Both brothers have delivered several match-winning performances together for MI in the past.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
The Punjab Kings, who have a history of changing captains, unfortunately, have failed to change their results, as the team have never tasted success in the IPL. In the IPL 2024, Shikhar Dhawan and Sam Curran captained the team but were unable to deliver. The franchise will likely target Hardik Pandya in the IPL 2025 mega auction, as releasing Sam Curran means they will need an all-rounder.
This mega-auction will come with a new set of rules, and it will be interesting to see if they can acquire such an all-rounder. While the team does have several top-notch batters and spin-bowling all-rounders, such as Sikandar Raza and Harpreet Brar, they have struggled to find fast-bowling all-rounders, which they will need to address.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
After releasing Ben Stokes, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) could target this lethal all-rounder once again. With 137 matches of experience, over 2,500 runs, and 64 wickets, Hardik Pandya would bring invaluable experience to the team. While he may not take on the captaincy role given that Sanju Samson has been impressively leading the team in recent years, although he has yet to secure a trophy, Pandya’s addition would still be a significant boost.
The franchise’s need for new players was evident in IPL 2024, where the team lost momentum after a strong start to the season. They faltered consistently towards the end and ultimately lost the second qualifier against Sunrisers Hyderabad by 36 runs. With Hardik Pandya on board, RR’s search for a trophy might finally come to an end.
