India all-rounder Hardik Pandya was not one of the four retained players by Mumbai Indians ahead of the next Indian Premier League auction. The league’s most successful franchise opted to retain captain Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and West Indies star Kieron Pollard. The existing teams allowed to retain only a maximum of four players before a major reset for the league involving two new franchises.
Accompanied by a video of the moments he spent with the franchise, this is the message Hardik Pandya posted on Instagram:
My journey with Mumbai Indians:
I’ll carry these memories with me for the rest of my life, I’ll carry these moments with me for the rest of my life. The friendships I’ve made, the bonds that have been formed, the people, the fans, I’ll always be grateful. I’ve grown not just as a player but as a person. I came here as a youngster with big dreams - we won together, we lost together, we fought together. Every moment with this team has a special place in my heart. They say all good things must end but Mumbai Indians will remain in my heart forever
Teams can still buy back players from the auction but there is no right-to-match option unlike in the past. The new teams also can pick up three players each before the mega auction.
Watch: Zaheer Khan explains the logic behind the retentions by Mumbai Indians
IPL retention: From Dhoni to Arshdeep, full list of retained players and purse remaining for teams