In a big blow for Mumbai Indians (MI), their new captain Hardik Pandya could miss the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season due to an ankle injury. The news comes after the ace all-rounder was traded to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans ahead of the IPL 2024 players auction. The former GT skipper was initially named in the retention list by his former franchise but was traded to MI ahead of the auction as part of an all-cash deal.
Soon after MI announced Hardik’s trade from GT, the five-time champions announced that the all-rounder would lead the franchise in the upcoming season of IPL, replacing long-serving captain Rohit Sharma.
According to a report by NDTV, a source confirmed on Saturday that Hardik will miss the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan, while his participation in the upcoming IPL 2024 edition remains a doubtful case.
Hardik Pandya suffered a ligament tear in his right ankle while playing for India in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The injury occurred during the match against Bangladesh where he landed awkwardly while trying to stop a shot. The severity of the injury was initially unclear, but scans later revealed a Grade 2 tear, which meant he would miss the remainder of the World Cup.
