Now Reading: Hardik Pandya trade talk heats up as IPL franchises circle MI captain
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Hardik Pandya trade talk heats up as IPL franchises circle MI captain
Hardik Pandya's future with Mumbai Indians (MI) is uncertain after the franchise finished ninth in IPL 2026 with only four wins. Cricbuzz reports that Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings are…
The Story in Brief
Hardik Pandya's future with Mumbai Indians (MI) is uncertain after the franchise finished ninth in IPL 2026 with only four wins. Cricbuzz reports that Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings are leading the race to acquire the all-rounder through a trade, with Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals also showing interest. Pandya, retained for Rs 16.35 crore, managed just 206 runs at a strike rate of 138.25 and four wickets in 10 matches last season. MI have reportedly approached some franchises and received queries about a potential deal. Separately, Rajasthan Royals are said to be open to trading Yashasvi Jaiswal, with MI showing strong interest in the opener.
The Indian Opinion
The idea that Hardik Pandya is being pushed out after one lean season feels overblown. Even in a poor IPL 2026 he averaged 20.6 with the bat and took four wickets in 10 matches, hardly a crisis for a player who has led India to T20 World Cup glory. The narrative that CSK or KKR are already in a 'race' to sign him comes from unnamed sources quoted by Cricbuzz, not confirmed deals. Let's wait and see if MI actually trades a captain they paid Rs 16.35 crore to retain just last year. That number will tell the real story.
Sources (2): indiatvnews.com, odishatv.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
