The fans are eagerly waiting for the IPL 2022 Mega Auction which will see a plethora of players going under the hammer. Many of the big names have been released by their franchises and it will be interesting to see which franchise they end up with in the auction. One of these names is Hardik Pandya who was released by Mumbai Indians and now Zaheer Khan has revealed why they released Hardik Pandya.
Hardik Pandya has been a runaway performer for the MI ever since he was bought by the franchise in the year 2015. However, the explosive batsman was not at his best in the 2021 edition of the league and couldn’t perform to his potential. The MI all-rounder has been struggling with a back injury for quite some time and has been working hard on gaining full fitness.
Zaheer Khan reveals why MI released Hardik Pandya
Zaheer Khan who has been a part of the MI think tank has revealed why the franchise released Hardik Pandya, who was definitely a part of their core group not too long ago. Zaheer Khan also shared that Hardik is absolutely keen on gaining full fitness and he is working on the same, however retention is not as easy as it seems.
“Absolutely. Hardik is very keen on that. The retention calls usually take into consideration various aspects and angles. The debates are usually very long (laughs). It is not an easy process when you set yourself up for a big auction and say goodbye to all players with a heavy heart with whom you spent a lot of time and energy,” said Zaheer Khan in an interview with TimesofIndia.com.
During the interview, Zaheer Khan also touched on the topic of team India getting a left-arm pace bowler. For the uninitiated, Khan himself was a very successful left-arm pace bowler for the Indian team, however since then team India hasn’t produced a left-arm bowler who could cement his place in the team. There have been bowlers who came and went but none could stay for long.
ALSO READ: Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Franchise engage in hilarious Twitter Banter
“There are plenty of good talents in the circuit. It is just about the timing. Maybe the wait is a little longer (laughs). If you have that kind of option (left-arm pace), it’s a luxury. But you need to get someone ready to play at the highest level,” Zaheer Khan told TimesofIndia.