Indian Premier League 2024

'Kya popat banaya hai sabka' - Fans react as Hardik Pandya retained by Gujarat Titans amid all rumors surrounding his trade to Mumbai Indians

Earlier it was also said that he was traded to MI in a all-cash deal worth 15 crores but as of latest news out on Sunday, IPL teams released, retained, and traded players during the transfer window.

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Mathew K
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Hardik Pandya (Source: Twitter)

Hardik Pandya (Source: Twitter)

The Indian Premier League 2024 Retention Day has arrived, and all 10 franchises are gearing up to announce the list of players they plan to retain ahead of the auction. A major talking point revolved around Hardik Pandya, the captain of Gujarat Titans, with reports suggesting a likely exit from the franchise to rejoin Mumbai Indians. This potential move has caught the cricketing community off guard, particularly considering Rohit Sharma's current captaincy with Mumbai Indians and his apparent indication of staying with the team in the foreseeable future.

Earlier it was also said that he was traded to MI in an all-cash deal worth 15 crores but as of the latest news out on Sunday, IPL teams released, retained, and traded players during the transfer window. The official broadcaster revealed the lists, starting with defending champions Chennai Super Kings.  Hardik Pandya's retention by Gujarat Titans ended speculation about his return to Mumbai Indians. Pandya led GT to the IPL title in 2021 and runners-up in 2022. GT unveiled their retained players' list towards the deadline, putting an end to rumours. 

In addition to this, MI have opted to release fast bowler Jofra Archer. All-rounder Shahbaz Ahmad has been transferred from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), while bowler Mayank Dagar is making the move from SRH to RCB. These transactions took place during the IPL trading window for the upcoming 2024 season, as announced by the IPL in a press release.

 

Let us look at how Twitter flooded after the news;

 

 

Josh Hazlewood, Harshal Patel and Wanindu Hasaranga were also released by RCB

Another surprising news came from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp where they released Josh Hazlewood, Harshal Patel and Wanindu Hasaranga for IPL 2024. The exclusion of these three players is a surprise as all these three bowlers have been good performers for the franchise over the year.

Harshal was the standout performer for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2021 IPL season, emerging as the leading wicket-taker with a memorable five-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians. His exceptional bowling skills and impactful contributions made him a key player in the tournament. He even finished the tournament with 32 wickets to his name equaling Dwayne Bravo’s record for most wickets in a single edition,