Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya might not play in the next Indian Premier League (IPL) season because of an ankle injury, as per media reports on Saturday. This happened following Hardik’s transfer from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians before the IPL players’ auction. The player was initially included in GT’s retention list but was later traded to MI ahead of the auction in an all-cash deal. According to the media reports, it’s confirmed that Hardik will not be part of the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan, and his participation in the next IPL season is uncertain. Hardik has been inactive since sustaining an ankle injury during a World Cup match against Bangladesh in Pune
Following Hardik’s transfer from GT, MI announced that the all-rounder will lead the franchise in the upcoming season of IPL, replacing long-serving captain Rohit Sharma. Pandya, who had previously played seven seasons for Mumbai, before being released prior to the 2022 season. After joining Gujarat Titans, he led the team to consecutive IPL finals, winning the trophy in their debut season. Hardik missed the recently concluded white-ball leg of the South Africa tour, and the T20I series against Australia. In his absence, Suryakumar led India to a 4-1 series win over Australia, while the T20I series ended in a draw.
