table of contents
Hardik Pandya’s future with Mumbai Indians has once again come into discussion. After leading the five-time IPL champions in the last three seasons, Hardik is headed for a surprise exit even though the franchise still wants him in the team.
Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has already shifted his base from Mumbai to Bengaluru, where he spent most of his career, living and training at the Mumbai Indians facility. Hardik had already planned to leave the Mumbai franchise and is now preparing for a strong comeback for India in the NCA.
Mumbai Indians wants to make Hardik Pandya not a captain but a player.
Mumbai Indians are not ready to let Hardik Pandya go before IPL 2027, reports Cricblogger. But the 32-year-old has already decided to start a new chapter in his IPL career after a tough stint with the five-time champions.
The report claims that Mumbai Indians still want to retain Hardik as an all-rounder, but they are not looking at him as their future captain. The franchise believes that if they release him, the other team will get a big advantage. That’s why they want to keep him in the team because of his batting, bowling and experience, but they don’t want his captaincy anymore.
However, several reports have claimed that Hardik is unlikely to play for Mumbai Indians again. Over the past three years, several issues and frustrations inside the camp have reportedly affected the atmosphere and relationships, which is unlikely to improve any time soon.
Hardik Pandya awaits official trade offers
There is no doubt about Hardik’s record as IPL captain. He created history by leading Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in his very first season in 2022. The following season, he once again took Gujarat to the finals, where they finished as runners-up, losing to Chennai Super Kings.
But his return to Mumbai Indians did not work out for both parties. Under his captaincy, Mumbai Indians struggled badly in two seasons, but in the 2025 season, Pandya took them to the playoffs.
As of now, Hardik has not initiated talks with any other IPL franchise. It is being said that the star Indian all-rounder is waiting to see if any team officially approaches Mumbai Indians for a trade. Only after this he will think about his next step.
Seven IPL franchises are in line for Hardik Pandya
Meanwhile, the race to sign Hardik Pandya before IPL 2027 is becoming more exciting. According to reports, seven IPL teams have shown interest in bringing the star all-rounder into their team. Only Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are not in the race.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have recently joined the race and are now competing with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). CSK sees Hardik as a strong option for the future after MS Dhoni, while both KKR and RR are ready to give him a leadership role.
Currently, talks are going on between MI, CSK and KKR, but nothing has been finalized. It is still unclear whether the deal will involve a player trade, an all-cash settlement, or whether the negotiations will collapse altogether. A final decision is expected only after all the franchises complete their discussions.