Former India player Ajay Jadeja said that the Mumbai Indians (MI) can release Hardik Pandya before the IPL 2025 auction and reacquire him through the RTM (Right To Match) card. He also said that Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah might be better retention options for the Mumbai Indians as well. However, MI traded in Hardik from the Gujarat Titans (GT) before IPL 2024 and made him their captain, replacing Rohit. The move did not work for them, with the five-time champions finishing last this year as well.
During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Jadeja said, “There is a thought because it’s easier for us to come up with thoughts than those who are managing the team. I would say Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, these are three players you won’t be able to get at all, if you want them. Every other team will need them. These are three such players.”
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“Then Tilak Varma is one. I feel you can use the RTM for Hardik Pandya. The level of player Hardik Pandya is, you won’t get him but because of injury concerns, like he is no longer the Indian team’s captain, so probably the other teams might not value him that much. However, you won’t get Bumrah even for 70-75 crores,” he further added.
However, Hardik Pandya scored 216 runs at an underwhelming average of 18.00 in 13 innings in IPL 2024 as well. He claimed only 11 wickets
in 12 innings but conceded an average of 10.75 runs per over as well.
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“At times, you leave to make your team better, even if you are the captain. If you decide, you will always get the player if the RTM is there. But Jasprit Bumrah’s price, and the others’ price, they won’t come in your hands. It’s auction dynamics. I am not saying that a player’s value is less or more. So that is a thought there. You won’t get Ishan Kishan, a wicketkeeper-batter, that cheap. I am talking about the 18 crores and 14 crores because all of them are equal-level players. So whoever is retained for less will get angry. Whoever is angry, let him go, and get him back through RTM. Don’t try to forcefully retain someone who is angry,” Ajay Jadeja concluded.
