After late drama, Hardik's return to Mumbai Indians a 'done deal'

BCCI officials confirm a 215 crore deal for India all-rounder’s home coming from Gujarat Titans

- Rasesh Mandani

MUMBAI: At the end of IPL's retention deadline on Sunday evening, Hardik Pandya was still a Gujarat Titan. But BCCI officials confirmed that an all-cash deal (₹15 crore) has been worked out for the India allrounder's 'home coming' to Mumbai Indians. An official announcement is expected on Monday. To allow this trade to go through, it was learnt, MI have initiated another cash trade to let go of Australian all-rounder Cameron Green (₹17.5 crore) to Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Franchises are within their rights to trade until December 12, a week before the auction (December 19). That's as far as technicalities go. Given the stakes involved with India's long-term T20 captain-in-waiting moving to a franchise led by India's Test captain and one who's yet to be ruled out of the national T20 mix; it has generated shock and awe in the larger cricketing ecosystem.

But more than one IPL franchise, other than the two at play, said that they had heard that relations were not all that smooth between Pandya and Gujarat Titans, even before this year's campaign began. Pandya, it was learnt, had initiated discussions with GT about his desire to move to MI, where he first made a mark to be selected for the national side.