The race to get Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2027 Indian Premier League season has intensified as a total of seven franchises are reportedly showing interest in the star all-rounder.
Hardik Pandya wanted to leave Mumbai Indians (MI) after a disastrous campaign in the 2026 season. Earlier it was revealed that teams like Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), who are looking to make changes in their leadership roles, want to rope in Hardik Pandya.
Chennai Super Kings in race to sign Hardik Pandya
According to the latest media report, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has also joined the race to acquire the services of the fast bowling all-rounder. According to the report of Times of India, a total of seven franchises are in the race to sign Hardik Pandya. Only Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are silent on this matter.
According to the media report, “The race to sign the 32-year-old has intensified and TimesofIndia.com can confirm that seven franchises have expressed interest in acquiring the all-rounder. Only Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) remain interested.”
What will Mumbai Indians demand in return?
Many parties are in talks with Mumbai Indians for Hardik, but nothing has been decided yet. The interests of KKR and RR are understandable as both these teams are looking for a new face to lead the teams in the 2027 season. The situation of CSK is different.
The team management, which believes in doing a long-term project, shows a lot of faith in Ruturaj Gaikwad as the successor to their great captain MS Dhoni. As a brilliant all-rounder, Hardik’s inclusion will balance the team and provide additional strength.
But will they offer the captaincy to Hardik Pandya? This remains doubtful. It also makes sense that despite weak performances in back-to-back seasons, Mumbai Indians would demand lucrative deals in return. It may be an all cash deal or a trade deal.
If KKR wants to make a trade deal for Hardik Pandya, who will they offer in return? The same can be said for Rajasthan Royals and other teams who are currently in the race.
Last year, it was speculated that Kolkata Knight Riders were keen to sign KL Rahul from Delhi Capitals. It was believed that the talks between the two franchises would go far, but in the end it became a hindrance for KKR. KL Rahul remained with Delhi Capitals.
Chennai Super Kings had implemented the same method for Sanju Samson last season
According to media reports, CSK entered the race late. They adopted the same approach ahead of the IPL 2026 season to bring Sanju Samson on board. CSK joined the party late but effectively convinced Sanju Samson to join hands.
The media report further read, “The five-time champions are timing their entry just like they did last season during the blockbuster trade of Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Currently, CSK are in a very strong position to sign Pandya, but late hurdles cannot be ruled out as player trading remains a difficult task in the IPL ecosystem.”
