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It is widely reported that Hardik Pandya is all set to leave the Mumbai Indians ahead of a fresh Indian Premier League season in 2027. As soon as the reports revolving Pandya’s future in the league had started to emerge, fans were curious to know about his next step.
As there are multiple teams, including the Lucknow Super Giants, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, and Chennai Super Kings, who are reportedly skeptical about their current respective captains, Hardik Pandya is likely to be in demand ahead of the IPL 2027 season. But, there is another team where the pace bowling all-rounder can find himself as the best fit. It is the Gujarat Titans (GT), Pandya’s former IPL team, where he won the title in 2022 as the captain.
Why will Hardik Pandya be the best fit for the Gujarat Titans?
1. He will make the GT middle order strong
Hardik Pandya is among the most celebrated all-rounders in modern cricket. Despite the bad patch with the Mumbai Indians as their captain, there is no doubt over his batting and bowling skills. GT, which has a strong top order but a relatively weak middle order, can look more balanced with Hardik Pandya in the middle order.
2. Give them a finisher
Finisher is one of the most demanding spots in the T20 format. There are some emerging names, but Hardik Pandya is amongst the rare talents who have been doing this for a long time. Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, and Rahul Tewatia are in the middle order of the Gujarat Titans. They are all talented batters, but none of them are designated finishers.
3. Can play without captaincy
Captaincy often comes with an extra burden. Under the extra added pressure, players sometimes find it very difficult to perform according to their true potential. With Shubman Gill as the leader of GT, Pandya can make himself free from the extra pressure. Additionally, he has a good bond with Gill, which can help the all-rounder to perform with extra confidence and courage.
4. Good bond with Asish Nehra
Behind the constant performance, Asish Nehra has been playing an unsung role behind the curtain. The head of GT also shares a nice bond with Panyda. During Pandya’s tenure with the Gujarat Titans, both of them found no good not altogether, which allowed the team to perform significantly well.
5. Would solve GT's pace-bowling all-rounder problem
Pace bowling all-rounder is another department where the team is lacking. There is only Jason Holder who is single-handedly taking care of this role. If Hardik joins, then it will balance the team composition and bolster the team’s overall strength as well.
6. No rift between Pandya and GT
Pandya’s move from the Gujarat Titans to the Mumbai Indians was controversial, but there was no report about a single hairline crack between Pandya and the GT’s relationship. So, it will not be wrong to assume that he left the franchise on a good note, and feel free to join again.
Read More: Mumbai Indians shut down Hardik Pandya exit rumours
