Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya has said that after the franchise traded Shardul Thakur in for Arjun Tendulkar ahead of IPL 2026, he told the latter that he had ‘hopped’ enough franchises and he would want him to be in Mumbai for the rest of his IPL career.

As far as Thakur’s IPL journey goes, he has often been a bit of a nomad, turning out for as many as six teams till now. His latest stop is the Mumbai Indians, the city he calls home and where he honed his skills.

Perhaps it is time for that constant movement to settle.

In what will warm many hearts, Pandya has assured Thakur that MI will be his home for the remainder of his IPL career. It is a show of backing that reflects Pandya’s own personality, one maverick standing behind another.

“I told him this season, I said, ‘enough hopping of the franchises. I want you to be here for the rest of your career.’ He is a character. He has a big heart. The way he comes out and kind of always tries to outsmart a batter is simply brilliant, and I'm really happy for him," Pandya said at the post-match presentation.

On his debut for the Mumbai Indians, Thakur struck thrice at Wankhede Stadium, leaving the visitors well short of a competitive total. He ripped through Kolkata Knight Riders’ top order, dismissing captain Ajinkya Rahane, Finn Allen, and Cameron Green.

It marked a happy homecoming for Thakur, who had earlier spent three years (2010–12) with the MI setup as a net bowler. Before joining the Mumbai Indians, he played for the Lucknow Super Giants, as well as Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rising Pune Supergiants, Kings XI Punjab, and Chennai Super Kings over the years.