Ahead of the upcoming 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Ashish Nehra, the head coach of Gujarat Titans, shared insights regarding the departure of former captain Hardik Pandya from the team. Nehra clarified that he did not attempt to persuade the star all-rounder to stay with the franchise.
Nehra said, “I never tried to convince Hardik to stay back. The way this sport is moving, we will see more such transfers like it happens in soccer’s international club market.”
“Yes, GT will miss Hardik Pandya. But it is a new opportunity for him. Every year IPL teaches you something new, and this year too there will be something new to learn. Best wishes [to him] from our side.”
Regarding Hardik’s exit, Nehra remarked on the evolving nature of the sport, likening it to the transfer market in club football. He emphasized that such trade deals may become more commonplace over time.
In a notable move, Hardik Pandya returned to the Mumbai Indians (MI) for the 2024 season in what became a widely discussed trade deal in IPL history. Subsequently, he was named the new captain of MI, replacing Rohit Sharma, a decision that received significant criticism.
Hardik initially joined Gujarat Titans in the 2022 season after being released by Mumbai Indians. His leadership led the Titans to victory in their debut season and to the final in 2023 before his departure from the team.
Nehra excited for Shubman Gill to lead Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024
He also expressed curiosity about Shubman Gill’s performance as captain, stating, “I am interested to see how Shubman Gill operates as skipper but not just me but whole of India would be watching as he is that kind of a player.”
Furthermore, Nehra acknowledged the challenge of replacing both Hardik Pandya and the injured Mohammed Shami in the team. He said, “In sport you have to move on but it will not be easy to replace players like Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami.”
