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From Maggi To Magicians; Nita Ambani Reveals How She Found Mumbai Indians Stars

Soumyajit Dutta

Nita Ambani, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya [Source: @IamTanujSingh, @mipaltan/X.com]Nita Ambani, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya [Source: @IamTanujSingh, @mipaltan/X.com]

Mumbai Indians owner Nita Ambani, speaking at a Boston event, peeled back the curtain on the franchise’s legendary scouting system that discovered homegrown icons Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah. Her revelations spotlighted tales of grit, instinct, and life-changing bets on raw talent.

While talks of Hardik Pandya probably missing MI's campaign opener against CSK on March 23 are in the air, Nita Ambani threw light on the 'rags-to-riches' story of the backbones of the Mumbai Indians camp.

How Mumbai Indians Bet on the Pandyas

Ambani recounted the emotional backstory of the Pandya brothers, who battled financial hardship while chasing their cricket dreams. 

“Our scouts took two young, lanky, thin boys to the camp. I was talking to them, and they said that for three years, they’ve eaten nothing but Maggi, Noodles because they’ve had no money. But in them, I saw the spirit, the passion, and the hunger that they wanted to make it big,” she shared.

The franchise signed Hardik Pandya for just INR 10 lakh in 2015. His meteoric rise saw him become India’s premier all-rounder and Mumbai Indians’ backbone. After a two-year stint with Gujarat Titans, where he led the team to a 2022 title and 2023 final, Hardik returned to MI as captain in 2024, set to lead again in IPL 2025.

How Nita Ambani Found Bumrah?

Ambani also revealed how scouts spotted Jasprit Bumrah, whose unorthodox action and “odd body language” initially raised eyebrows.

"They said watch him bowl. We watched him, he could just speak to the ball. That was our Bumrah, and the rest is history,” she said.

Debuting for MI in 2013, Bumrah’s lethal yorkers and mastery under pressure fuelled five IPL titles for the team. Today, he’s India’s pace spearhead across formats.

Nita Ambani’s Calls Mumbai Indians ‘The Nursery of Cricket’

The Reliance Foundation Founder-Chairperson further emphasized Mumbai Indians’ grassroots focus while praising the team's eye for picking premier talents.

"I used to go to every Ranji Trophy match. My scouts and I would go to all these domestic cricket matches. Mumbai Indians are rightfully called the Nursery of Cricket in India. I bought Hardik Pandya Krunal Pandya, now Hardik is proud Captain of MI. We launched Tilak Verma, now he's a proud member of Team India.”

Hardik’s INR 10 lakh deal now contrasts with his INR 16.35 crore IPL 2025 salary, while Bumrah reigns as one of the world’s most feared bowlers. 

Hardik Pandya and Bumrah's Stellar IPL Career

While Hardik, the star-all-rounder of India has played 137 matches in the IPL, scoring 2525 runs at a strike rate of 145.61, with 10 half-centuries to his name. With the ball, he has taken 64 wickets in 93 innings, at an economy of 9.09 and a bowling average of 33.59.

Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah has played 133 IPL matches taking 165 wickets at an impressive average of 22.51 and an economy rate of 7.30. His best bowling figures stand at 5/10, and he has registered two four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket hauls in the tournament.