తెలుగు వార్త

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya is reportedly set to part ways with the franchise after what turned out to be a disastrous IPL campaign. According… According to a PTI report, Pandya, who was “mentally stressed and completely exhausted,” informed the Mumbai Indians management during the middle of the season that he did not wish to continue with the team. The 32-year-old all-rounder took over MI captaincy in 2024, replacing Rohit Sharma. However, the move triggered strong reactions from fans, with Pandya being booed repeatedly during matches over the last two seasons. As per the report, Pandya had conveyed his decision to the franchise weeks before MI’s poor campaign came to an end. Once the team’s playoff hopes were dashed with a few matches still remaining, both Pandya and the franchise reportedly arrived at an understanding to mutually part ways. “Hardik was mentally stressed and completely exhausted. He had also sustained a back injury. In fact, once the playoff hopes were dashed, Hardik informed the decision-makers that he wouldn’t be staying back,” an IPL source told PTI on condition of anonymity. The source added that Pandya had returned to MI in 2024 under difficult circumstances and had to deal with intense public criticism. “Please understand that Hardik is only 32. He returned to MI in 2024 when he was 30. He was booed in the first year and this season too things didn’t go according to plan,” the source said, referring to the controversial captaincy change. Though Pandya maintained publicly that it had been a “difficult but entertaining journey,” the report claims his patience has now run out. “There is only so much that a young man can take. The last three years haven’t been easy for him. The MI dressing room that he had left in 2021 wasn’t the same when he returned in 2024. Not every senior player was on the same page,” the source said. The source further said that if results had gone in MI’s favour despite differences within the setup, the situation might have been different. But with the team struggling and opinions reportedly divided, Pandya eventually decided that he could not continue. According to people aware of the developments, what hurt Pandya was the feeling that some senior players, who expected full commitment from him when he played T20Is for India, did not return the same support when he was leading the franchise. It is not yet clear whether Pandya will seek a trade to another team or enter the auction pool. “One thing is for sure. He is done with MI. Closer to August, one might get some indication about what his next move will be,” the source said. The report also suggested that Chennai Super Kings could be an interesting option for Pandya if a trade possibility opens up.