CSK have reportedly become the latest franchise to express interest in signing Hardik Pandya from Mumbai Indians (MI), with the trade buzz intensifying ahead of IPL 2027. The star all-rounder is now believed to be on the radar of seven IPL franchises after reports suggested he was keen to move on following MI’s disappointing 2026 campaign. Hardik, who returned to Mumbai from Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2024, has endured a difficult stint as captain, with the five-time champions missing the playoffs in two of the last three seasons.
According to The Times of India, Chennai Super Kings have entered discussions with MI over a possible trade for Hardik. Earlier reports claimed that Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had also approached Mumbai, with KKR even offering the all-rounder the captaincy. RR are reportedly prepared to hand Hardik a long-term leadership role as well. Among the 10 IPL teams, only Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are said to have shown no interest in acquiring the India all-rounder.
CSK Enter Race for Hardik Despite Captaincy Stance
Despite their interest, CSK are unlikely to offer Hardik the captaincy, having already backed Ruturaj Gaikwad as their long-term leader. Instead, the franchise is believed to be focusing on building a competitive package that could convince Mumbai Indians to negotiate. The report also claims that an influential figure within the CSK setup could play a crucial role in helping facilitate any potential deal between the two franchises.
Chennai’s interest stems from their need for a proven pace-bowling all-rounder after struggling in that department during IPL 2026. Although CSK had publicly dismissed speculation around a move for Hardik last month, the latest developments suggest the franchise has now become actively involved in trade discussions. The five-time champions are also confident after successfully completing high-profile deals in recent seasons, including the reported trade involving Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran and Sanju Samson before IPL 2026.
The report further states that “Two highly respected former international captains have also expressed interest, one offered the captaincy, but the initial discussions did not materialise into anything meaningful. A fresh round of talks cannot be ruled out in the North, especially if conversations continue to gather pace in the South.” This indicates that interest in Hardik remains widespread, with several franchises monitoring the situation closely ahead of the next transfer window.
Mumbai Indians, however, are yet to make a final decision on Hardik’s future. The report claims the franchise will first need to resolve the all-rounder’s situation before deciding on the future of another unnamed teammate. More importantly, any potential trade cannot proceed without Hardik’s approval. Since replacing Rohit Sharma as MI captain in 2024, Hardik has led the team to a 10th-place finish in 2024, a third-place finish in 2025, and a ninth-place finish in 2026, with Mumbai failing to qualify for the playoffs in two of those three seasons.