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Throwback: When Hardik Pandya Didn't Draw Single Bid And Went Unsold At IPL Auction

Kashish Chadha

When the new MI skipper found no takers for his talent and promise at IPL 2014 auction [X.com]When the new MI skipper found no takers for his talent and promise at IPL 2014 auction [X.com]

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Hardik Pandya's high-expense and exciting return to Mumbai Indians (MI) following a one-way trade from Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the IPL 2024 would belie the cricketer's initial days of struggle to break into the cash-rich T20 league. 

Before Pandya's life transformed following a huge vote of confidence provided by the MI team management and ownership group back at the 2015 edition of the IPL, the Baroda allrounder was part of the unsold list at the bidding war for the preceding season played in UAE and India.

The 30-year-old stands today as one of the richest cricketers on the planet with an unmatched presence and influence in the IPL and the international stage for Team India. But there was a time he had no paddles raised in his favour when his name came at the podium for IPL 2014 auction. 

When Hardik Pandya Went Unsold IPL 2014 Auction 

Pandya had registered at a low-key base sum of INR 10 lakhs but could not find a single buyer when franchises entered the fresh auction to reconstruct their squads. The premier India allrounder paid badly for his struggles with the bat in the 2013-14 edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

While shining with the ball and taking 11 wickets in India's national T20 championship from nine innings, Pandya collected his runs at a poor strike-rate of 102.33, which laid bare the issues with his underdeveloped powerhitting.

MI's talent scouting team, however, kept an eye out on the player's development over the next 12 months and changed their stance on his talent and promise after seeing signs of growth in his hitting game despite another below-par edition of SMAT in the 2014-15 season. 

The franchise bid him into their camp for INR 10 lakhs before he repaid that trust with a match-winning cameo against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in one of the games. Pandya was soon fast-tracked into the senior Indian team in the year 2016 and made his debut against Australia in the first T20I in Adelaide in January.