Throwback: When Hardik Pandya didn't draw a single bid and went UNSOLD at IPL 2014 auction

Hardik Pandya is out of action from international cricket for quite sometime. He remains a vital cog in India's limited-overs setup but hasn't played a single game since the Men in Blue's dismal 2021 T20 World Cup campaign. 

Hardik has had issues fulfilling the all-rounder's role following his back surgery, in the pre-pandemic era. Since then, he hasn't bowled a lot for Team India and didn't roll his arms for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the last two IPL seasons. In the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, the 28-year-old Hardik will represent the newly-formed Ahmedabad franchise, named the Gujarat Titans, where he will be eager to play as an all-rounder and also make a mark as captain. 

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While Hardik remains a big name in Indian cricket in recent times, following his IPL blitz for the MI franchise, the all-rounder had once failed to draw a single bid and went unsold at the 2014 auction for the cash-rich league. Back in 2014, Hardik wasn't a known face in the domestic circuit and, thus, failed to draw a single bid despite a base price of INR 1 million (Rs 10 lakhs).

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In the 2015 auction, Hardik's base price remained the same but he managed to be bought by the Rohit Sharma-led MI franchise. From 2015-2021, Hardik has amassed 1,476 runs at a strike rate of 153.91 along with claiming 42 wickets. He was a vital part of MI's title win in the 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 editions, respectively. He will now be eager to replicate his success for his home franchise Gujarat Titans.