NEW DELHI: Former South African and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) legend AB de Villiers shared his insights on the potential move of Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya back to Mumbai Indians (MI) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
Speaking on his official YouTube channel, de Villiers speculated on the impact of Pandya's return, especially in terms of team leadership.
"I am not sure what happened there but it looks like he is heading back to Mumbai. I think it's going to cost them a bit. I mean Rohit is the captain, we know he loves leading from the front. Will he step down and let Hardik lead, because he has got the big weight of Team India and captaining there," de Villiers commented.
De Villiers expressed his feeling that Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma might consider letting Hardik Pandya take over the captaincy, given the additional pressure Rohit already faces as the captain of Team India.
"I have got a funny feeling Rohit is going to let him (Hardik) captain and take over the reins. Rohit carries a lot of pressure by captaining Team India as well. Maybe that is going to be the move," de Villiers added.
Acknowledging the potential significance of this move, the RCB legend noted, "It's big news for Mumbai Indians. He (Hardik) was a big player for Mumbai for many years. He loved playing at the Wankhede Stadium. He won the trophy with GT and then also went to the final (next season). He probably feels his time there is done."
As per ESPNcricinfo, the reported trade involves Mumbai Indians paying 15 crore rupees as Pandya's salary and an undisclosed transfer fee to Gujarat Titans. The deal, if finalised, could mark the biggest player trade in IPL history. The 30-year-old all-rounder led Gujarat Titans to victory in the 2022 IPL season, also earning the 'Player of the Match' title in the final against Rajasthan Royals. In the 2023 season, GT secured their place in the IPL final but ended up as runners-up after losing to Chennai Super Kings.
(With inputs from ANI)
