IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya says he is ‘excited’ to play for Ahmedabad but will ‘miss’ Mumbai Indians

Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya (Source: Twitter)

Mumbai Indians shocked fans when they didn’t retain Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, but the decision eventually presented the star all-rounder with new opportunity and a bigger role as Hardik was picked for a staggering INR 15 crores by the Ahmedabad franchise and he will also lead the side.

The Gujarat-born cricketer Hardik Pandya is excited as he will be playing for a franchise of his home state.

"To be very honest I was very excited when I got to know I will be playing for my state. It is my home state where I was born and brought up. It is going to be an exciting and new opportunity for me because I have always played as a player who wanted to take up a lot of responsibility and ownership of things when I do things and now when I have got the opportunity, I want to create some nice culture where all the players get equal opportunity-- one for all and all for one," said Hardik Pandya while speaking to ANI.

"It is a new pamphlet, a new legacy for us. Obviously I am very lucky for having played in Mumbai Indians where I learnt a lot from being a new kid coming to the IPL to now getting an opportunity to lead a team. It has been a dream for me and I am grateful for all the opportunities and chances given by the people," he added.

It Is Officially Announced That Hadik Pandya Will Be Our Captain . #HardikPandya #IPLAuction2022 pic.twitter.com/J91g9Ui2sE

— Official Ahmedabad Ipl Team (@Ipl_ahmedabaad) January 21, 2022

Hardik Pandya will not only be playing for Ahmedabad but will also be captaining the side and being from Gujarat makes him a local lad. The 28-year-old has been a star performer in the limited-overs format for both Mumbai and Team India and is now elevated as captain of an IPL franchise.

"The feeling is surreal to be honest. I have never imagined as I have said multiple times. If I look at 2015 what Hardik was and what Hardik has been now. It has been a journey where I never would have told people that this would have ever happened. As a player it has been a learning curve in everything in my life. Playing and learning new things from all the senior players and becoming a senior player to a guy to whom people come and started asking questions and now getting a new role. It has been a beautiful journey and I am very grateful for everything I have got and the journey does not stop now, it continues. It is a new phase and new turn to the life which I am very excited about," said the India all-rounder.

Hardik Pandya playing for another franchise means that he will be playing against his previous franchise Mumbai Indians where he will be up against his former Mumbai teammates Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Kieron Pollard.

"First I will say not just him but just as a franchise point of view and players point of view it was a tremendous journey for me. I mean a lot of things but everything I have got through Mumbai Indians. I have played India through Mumbai Indians. A lot of things in my life has changed playing for Mumbai. Franchise wise, I have been very grateful to every guy who was there to contribute or to help me to get better as a cricketer and yes I will miss it but now a new role is there and as they say, the show must go on," explained Hardik Pandya. 

A bidding war on the cards 

Here are the Marquee Players at the  #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/lOF1hBCp8o — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) February 1, 2022

All are eager to see Hardik Pandya in action as he has been out of action since November 2021 after the 2021 T20 World Cup due to back injury and was also going through rehabilitation. But now the welcome news for all his fans is that he is back to training and is practising every day to get back to full fitness.

"Just getting fitter, healthier and looking after all the parts which I need to work at or look after, in a very nice space right now. Training hard, not taking anything forward, taking day-by-day and focusing on a lot of new things which is a nice thing, getting up early doing two sessions in a day. It is nice and healthy," he said.

Hardik Pandya will be leading an IPL side for the first time and moreover he will be leading a franchise which will be making its debut in IPL 2022.