Over the last few years, Mumbai Indians (MI) have firmly established themselves as the tournament’s most successful franchise with five title wins. In their unprecedented success in the last few years, Hardik Pandya has played an instrumental role in all three departments of the game and helped give the Rohit Sharma-led team balance in the playing XI and very high quality with the bat, ball, and as a fielder.

During his seven-year stint with the franchise, Pandya hit numerous quick-fire knocks in the slog overs, got important wickets at key moments in the game, and was a livewire on the field. 

After buying him for just Rs 10 Lakhs in the 2015 auction, MI retained him for a whopping amount of Rs 11 crore before the 2018 IPL auction. 

However, the five-time champions did not retain him ahead of the upcoming IPL 2022 auction as the franchise kept hold of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Kieron Pollard from their current roaster. 

However, Pandya will not be part of next month’s mega auction as the Ahmedabad team has picked him as a pre-auction draft and secured his signing for Rs 15 crore. He has also been confirmed as the captain of the new franchise 

With his exit from MI official now, the franchise took to social media to post an emotional tribute to the all-rounder and wished  ‘Kung Fu Pandya’ luck in his venture. 

Apart from Hardik, Ahmedabad have purchased arguably the best T20 bowler in the world in Rashid Khan for Rs 15 crore. Shubman Gill, who is regarded as one of the most talented young batters in world cricket at the moment will also play for the new franchise. 

On the other hand, the Lucknow-based IPL franchise has signed KL Rahul as skipper alongside Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, and uncapped leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.