Hardik Pandya is the centre of attention these days, and the debate over his future in the Indian Premier League (IPL) continues. Ever since a poor season with the Mumbai Indians in the 2026 edition of the tournament, where the five-time champions finished ninth, one is eager to know the future for the star all-rounder.
For a long time, it has been rumoured that Hardik wants to leave the franchise, and the Mumbai Indians might trade him to another team.
The last couple of weeks have seen Hardik linked to teams like the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), but nothing concrete has been made public.
However, according to a Cricbuzz report, the Mumbai Indians are yet to commit to the Hardik trade. The publication cited sources and reported that the franchise might not trade the all-rounder at all, and that discussions with both KKR and CSK remain in the preliminary stage.
Moreover, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Rajasthan Royals have also been linked to the 32-year-old; however, this association currently remains only at the rumour stage.
According to Cricbuzz, the three-time champions KKR are interested in acquiring Hardik but are unwilling to part with any of their marquee players. Nothing concrete can be said about Cameron Green, but even if he is put for trade by KKR, Mumbai might not be interested, considering the all-rounder’s participation in IPL 2027 hangs in the balance due to a packed calendar, where Australia are set to play Tests against India and England next year.
What about CSK?
On the other hand, CSK have yet to confirm whether they have made a move for Pandya. “We have not started applying our minds to this. First, we will have a coach. We have received calls from many interested candidates. We will sit and finalise,” CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan told Cricbuzz.
Speaking of Hardik, he has been out of action since the IPL 2026 season for the Mumbai Indians. The all-rounder, who has shifted to Bengaluru, has been a regular at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) and is closely moving towards full fitness.
Hardik joined the Mumbai Indians in 2024, but the franchise failed to live up to expectations under him. In 2024, the five-time champions finished last, while in 2026, the team came second last. In 2025, the franchise reached Qualifier 2 but lost against the Punjab Kings.
Since 2024, Hardik scored fewer than 225 runs at an average below 25 in each of the subsequent IPL seasons, with him striking at less than 150. With the ball, he returned with 29 scalps.