"Shows how hungry they are" -  Ravichandran Ashwin opens up on Hardik Pandya returning to MI ahead of IPL 2024

Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Mumbai Indians (MI) going all-out to trade in star all-rounder Hardik Pandya shows that they want to secure their sixth Indian Premier League (IPL) title at all costs.

Pandya had a long-standing association with Mumbai, before parting ways with them to join the Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the 2022 edition. He led the Gujarat-based side to a championship triumph in their maiden season in IPL 2022, which was followed by a runner-up finish.

Ahead of IPL 2024, Pandya was traded to Mumbai in an all-cash deal (₹15 crore). The five-time champions also named him their new captain, replacing Rohit Sharma.

Opening up on the trade, and expecting to see more such deals in the future, here's what Ashwin said in his latest YouTube video:

"The Hardik Pandya ‘buy’ shows how hungry they are for #6. Many people might have opinions about why it is right or wrong, or they might have taken it too easy. I am not going into that. This is a pride project. They play to win. And they’ve gone to that extent to buy a player. And you can say so many things, but when a team pulls off such a buy, you tend to think more."

"Think about it: if MI got Rashid Khan from GT instead of Pandya, It is unthinkable, right? In the EPL or the rest of European football, it happens like this. If this also goes like that, some teams will have the financial strain to match up to those teams, and equality is a question mark. But nevertheless, as MI has done this, it looks pretty clear that they are going for #6," Ashwin added.

The news of Hardik Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as MI captain drew mixed reactions from fans. Mumbai head coach Mark Boucher claimed that the decision was taken taking the team's transitional phase into account.

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"He has always been a combination player" -Ravichandran Ashwin on Hardik Pandya

Ravichandran Ashwin also spoke about Hardik Pandya's performances as a player in the IPL, highlighting his ability to contribute with both bat and ball when required.

Ashwin pointed out how Pandya played a different role for GT during his two-year stint, looking to bat in the middle overs instead of being the designated finisher.

"He has always been a combination player, giving a few overs and scoring runs when required," Ashwin continued. "In GT, a lot of the team’s success came from his transition as a player who plays the middle overs with intent and leaves the finishing to (Rahul) Tewatia and Rashid Khan."

The Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians will take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in their opening match of IPL 2024 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 24.