3 min learnMumbaiAug 12, 2026 06:54 AM IST
Mumbai Indians’ captain Hardik Pandya held talks with Gujarat Titans over a attainable return to the franchise however was rejected after he made it conditional on being reinstated as captain, The Indian Specific has learnt.
Based on sources, Gujarat Titans, the place Pandya received the Indian Premier League (IPL) as captain of their inaugural marketing campaign in 2022 earlier than transferring again to Mumbai Indians in 2024, had been open to bringing him again. They’d already mentioned the prospect with present captain Shubman Gill, however Pandya’s captaincy situation was a deal-breaker.
“The franchise was tremendous with him making a return. They’d even mentioned the identical with its captain Shubman Gill, and he, too, had agreed that the franchise may commerce him again. However when his situation of captaincy was put up, everybody mentioned no to it,” mentioned a supply.
Gill is the India captain for each Assessments and One-Day Internationals.
Hardik Pandya had a slightly beneath par marketing campaign individually as nicely within the 2026 IPL. (BCCI/Creimas Photograph)
When contacted, a Gujarat Titans consultant refused to touch upon the matter.
“Hardik Pandya had no direct dialog with any franchise in anyway concerning switch commerce, or in any other case. If any strategy has been made to him, that has been directed to the MI franchise,” Pandya’s spokesperson mentioned.
The event follows weeks of uncertainty over Pandya’s place at Mumbai Indians. The Indian Specific had reported earlier that MI’s crew administration was not eager to retain him as captain and was even evaluating his position within the squad, after a season by which the crew misplaced 10 of their 14 video games, completed ninth, and prolonged the franchise’s title drought to 6 years.
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The unravelling was laid naked in a crew discuss by the teaching workers after MI’s remaining recreation of the season, in opposition to Rajasthan Royals. “The teaching workers was very clear of their message to the senior gamers that wherever they play, they must be coachable. There have been many situations the place the teaching workers beneficial one thing which was backed by information however gamers didn’t observe it,” a supply had informed The Indian Specific.
Mumbai Indians, with among the many greatest names within the IPL, have regarded out of step with the T20 format of late. None of their gamers featured within the race for the Orange (most runs) or Purple (most wickets) Caps; their greatest batsman, Ryan Rickelton, completed seventeenth among the many season’s run-getters, whereas leg-spinner Allah Ghazanfar was 14th amongst wicket-takers.
Pandya’s relationship with the MI fanbase has additionally been difficult since he was launched by the franchise in 2022, joined Gujarat Titans and received the title as their captain, then returned to MI in 2024 to exchange Rohit Sharma, days after the latter had led India to the 2023 50-over World Cup remaining. Followers booed Pandya via his first season again, when MI completed backside of the desk.
A partial restoration in 2025 had raised hopes of a reconciliation, however the 2026 season undid them.
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