Last seen at the grandest stage of them all, Hardik Pandya is closing in on his much-awaited comeback ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Pandya, who picked up an ankle injury at the One Day International (ODI) World Cup last year, teased his return on Saturday with a video he posted on social media. The former Indian vice-captain has recovered from the ankle injury which ruled him out of multiple white-ball series after the 2023 World Cup.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) amid India's 1st Test match against England in Hyderabad, all-rounder Pandya showcased his bowling exploits in the nets. The white-ball maverick was seen bowling at full tilt in the nets. Pandya also provided an update on his return to competitive cricket. Hardik's latest social media activity has become an instant hit. All-rounder Pandya will lead Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2024 edition of the IPL.
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‘Feeling very good after coming back…’
"I'm feeling very good after coming back here. I treat (this ground) as a temple, because the amount of things I've learnt on this ground, it's like a temple for me. What it has taught me is priceless. My journey started literally 17 years back on this very ground. I will make sure everything possible today, and every day," the Mumbai Indians captain said. The post has already garnered over 495k likes on Instagram.
Hardik completes MI homecoming for IPL 2024
Recovering from an ankle injury, Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans for the 2024 season. After MI acquired Pandya's services in an all-cash deal, he was appointed as Rohit Sharma's successor in Mumbai. The all-rounder was also Rohit’s deputy at the ODI World Cup in 2023. Pandya guided Gujarat Titans to IPL glory in their debut season. The 30-year-old has played 123 games in the cash-rich league. He has over 2,300 runs under his belt with 53 wickets in the world's richest T20 tournament. Pandya last played an international match against Bangladesh in 2023.
{{/usCountry}}Recovering from an ankle injury, Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans for the 2024 season. After MI acquired Pandya's services in an all-cash deal, he was appointed as Rohit Sharma's successor in Mumbai. The all-rounder was also Rohit’s deputy at the ODI World Cup in 2023. Pandya guided Gujarat Titans to IPL glory in their debut season. The 30-year-old has played 123 games in the cash-rich league. He has over 2,300 runs under his belt with 53 wickets in the world's richest T20 tournament. Pandya last played an international match against Bangladesh in 2023.
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