Hardik Pandya, the dynamic Indian all-rounder, has reached a significant milestone in his Indian Premier League (IPL) career by playing his 100th match for MI against the Rajasthan Royals on Monday, April 22, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
Pandya joins an elite group of six cricketers, including Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, and Ambati Rayudu, who have achieved the feat of playing 100 matches for MI.
Pandya’s journey with MI began in 2015, and he has been an integral part of the team ever since, contributing with both bat and ball. His performances have been crucial to MI’s success, as they have won 5 IPL titles, 4 of which came with Hardik in the team.
In November 2023, Pandya returned to MI after a two-year stint with the Gujarat team where he played a pivotal role in their debut IPL title victory in 2022. Pandya’s move back to MI was part of a trade deal between the two franchises, and he was appointed as the captain for the 2024 season, succeeding Rohit Sharma.
Hardik has had a tough time thus far in the IPL as he has struggled both as an all-rounder and skipper. MI began their campaign with 3 losses on the trot and are currently placed in the bottom half of the table with 6 points from 7 matches. Hardik was also criticised after he did not introduce spinners into the attack during MI’s home match against CSK at the Wankhede Stadium. He was greeted with boos from a hostile crowd when stepped out to play at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
