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Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya has expressed his emotions following the departure of wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹11.25 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction. Kishan’s six-year association with the Mumbai-based franchise came to an end after MI decided not to pursue him further during the competitive bidding.
In a heartfelt video shared by MI, Pandya acknowledged the difficulty of letting go of Kishan, highlighting his immense contribution both on and off the field.
“We knew it would be tough to get him back”
Hardik revealed that Mumbai Indians were aware of the challenges in re-acquiring Kishan in the auction due to his immense talent and demand. “Ishan has been the ‘freshness’ and the ‘energy’ of the room. When we couldn’t retain him, we always knew it’s gonna be very difficult to get him back from the auction simply because of the kind of player and skillset he brings,” Pandya said.
Despite making an early bid for Kishan, MI eventually backed out as teams like Delhi Capitals (DC) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) aggressively joined the race.
Kishan’s impact on MI
Reflecting on Kishan’s legacy at MI, Hardik described him as a player who brought life to the dressing room, often lifting spirits with his vibrant personality. “He always kept the dressing room light and made a lot of people smile. That love and warmth came naturally to him. There will be less cake smashing, fewer pranks happening without him. Ishan brought so much love to this team, and as a group, we are truly going to miss him,” he added.
The MI skipper affectionately referred to Kishan as the team’s “pocket dynamo” and expressed his gratitude for the time they shared. “Ishan Kishan, you will always be MI’s pocket dynamo. We are all going to miss you, and we all love you.”
💌 𝓉ℴ 𝐼𝓈𝒽𝒶𝓃 #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians | @ishankishan51 pic.twitter.com/K1Gz5DKYUU
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) December 1, 2024
Also READ: Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 Squad – Complete players list of MI after the mega auction
Kishan’s journey with Mumbai Indians
Kishan joined MI in 2018, making an immediate impact by scoring 275 runs at a strike rate of 150 in his debut season. In the IPL 2020, Kishan reached new heights, emerging as MI’s highest run-scorer with 516 runs and earning the accolade for hitting the most sixes in the tournament.
MI reaffirmed their trust in him during the IPL 2022 auction, securing him for a record ₹15.25 crore. Kishan was a key player in subsequent seasons, being retained for the 2023 and 2024 editions, further cementing his importance to the franchise.
