Bumrah feels Mumbai Indians' Hardik deal is unfair: Kris Srikkanth

FORMER India cricketer Kris Srikkanth feels that Jasprit Bumrah has been left hurt by Mumbai Indians re-signing Hardik Pandya ahead of the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Srikkanth made his remark based on Bumrah's cryptic post on social media that went viral after Mumbai's transfer deal with the all-rounder.

Both Bumrah and Hardik started their IPL career in 2015 with Mumbai Indians and emerged as a core member of franchise before cracking into the Indian team. But while Bumrah was retained ahead of the mega auction in 2022 as part of a four-member list, Hardik was released. The latter was roped in by Gujarat Titans and later led the side to a title win in 2022 before the franchise finished as the runner-up next year.

Last Sunday, Hardik decided to move back to Mumbai with speculations that he might be even named as the captain. And the massive announcement coincided with Bumrah's cryptic post on Instagram that read: "Silence is sometimes the best answer."

The post immediately went viral all over social media with Mumbai Indians fans fearing that Hardik's deal has thrown a wrench in Bumrah's desire to take over the captaincy duties from Rohit Sharma. Some even fear that Bumrah might want to leave Mumbai Indians.

Kris Srikkanth.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth feels that Bumrah must have felt that Mumbai's decision was unfair and that there was no need to celebrate the return of Hardik when a player like him stayed back with the franchise throughout his IPL career.

"You can't find another cricketer like Jasprit Bumrah. Be it Tests or white-ball cricket, he is one of the best going around. He gave it his all in the World Cup. And as you said, in the 5th Test against England, he was the stand-in Test captain in 2022. He might have regrets. He would have been hurt. He must be feeling that he stayed back with MI but the franchise is now celebrating someone who left and came back. 'You are making him the biggest thing on earth'. He might feel it's not fair," he said.

The India legend then drew a similarity between the rumoured incident between Ravindra Jadeja and Chennai Super Kings and feels that MI should sit with Bumrah, Rohit and Hardik and have an open discussion on their stance.

"Something, similar happened with Ravindra Jadeja at CSK. But the team management and the captain came in and sorted out everything. In my opinion, what will happen is... I am sure the team management will sit with Pandya, Bumrah, and Rohit and sort out things. As a team only, you can only win championships. I would been hurt if something like that happened to me. After Hardik Pandya has returned, Bumrah might think, I am from Gujarat, I could have captained that team. I don't whether it's a lack of communication. Something must have happened. Otherwise, Bumrah, who is such a down-to-earth person... He is a fantastic human being, if he is getting annoyed, obviously, something must have happened," Srikanth added.