Hardik Pandya gets emotional as Mumbai Indians releases him

Mumbai : All-rounder Hardik Pandya expressed his gratitude to Mumbai Indians after the franchise released him ahead of IPL 2022 auction. Skipper Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Kieron Pollard and Suryakumar Yadav are the four players who have been retained by MI.

Hardik Pandya has been a part of Mumbai Indians since 2015. The 28-year-old cricketer posted an emotional video on social media cherishing the moments he spent with the team.

"I'll carry these memories with me for the rest of my life, I'll carry these moments with me for the rest of my life. The friendships I've made, the bonds that have been formed, the people, the fans, I'll always be grateful. I've grown not just as a player but as a person. I came here as a youngster with big dreams - we won together, we lost together, we fought together. Every moment with this team has a special place in my heart. They say all good things must end but @mumbaiindians will remain in my heart forever," Hardik captioned the video.

In 2015, Mumbai Indians had bought Hardik Pandya for a base price of Rs 10 lakhs.

With the addition of two new teams -- Ahmedabad and Lucknow -- for the upcoming season, the existing eight franchises were eligible to retain up to four players with a maximum of three Indian players, two overseas players and two uncapped Indian players.