Hardik Pandya has hit the ground running ahead of the Indian Premier League as he was seen training with Mumbai Indians. Pandya has made a return to his old franchise MI after spending two successful years with Gujarat Titans. He is now all set to lead the five-time champions in the upcoming season.
Pandya has shared a video of Mumbai Indians nets on his social media. In the video, Pandya can be seen meeting and hugging the MI coaching staff - bowling coach Lasith Malinga, fielding coach James Pamment and others. He also shared a picture collage of his training session with the franchise.
"Day 1. So many emotions, so many memories. Seeing old friends and reliving the good old days. Excited for what's ahead with this wonderful team. Let's get down to business," Hardik captioned his post on X.
The MI franchise also shared videos of Hardik's training at the MI nets. He was seen batting and bowling at the MI nets. The 30-year-old honed his skills with the bat as he hit some classical shots coupled with aerial strokes. He bowled in full tilt too.
Hardik installs temple in dressing room
The MI captain also visited the Mumbai Indians dressing room and installed a temple over there. Hardik was accompanied by head coach Mark Boucher, who broke a coconut. The video was shared by the MI franchise.
After leading Gujarat Titans to a title victory and a second-placed finish in his two years of association with GT, Hardik has made a move back to where he started his IPL journey - MI. He debuted for the Rohit Sharma-led side in 2015 and stayed there till 2021. In his seven-year stint at MI, Hardik won four IPL trophies with the team. Ahead of the 2022 auctions, he was released by MI and was picked by GT in the draft ahead of the 2022 mega auction.
He was named the captain of the Gujarat-based team and led them to the title win in the first season by defeating Rajasthan Royals in the final in 2022. His side fell inches short of a consecutive title win when Chennai Super Kings prevailed in a tense final in 2023.
Ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, Hardik was traded back to Mumbai Indians in an all-cash deal of Rs 15 crores. He was later made the captain of the team, which brought an end to Rohit Sharma's legacy as skipper.
