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Indian Premier League (IPL) 2027 mini-auction is just months away, and the deadline day for retention is November 15th. Ahead of that, the teams are getting ready for some trade deals and also appointing coaching staff. In this, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are planning to bring Hardik Pandya from Mumbai Indians (MI) in order to solve their problems.
The Knights did not have the best of times after Shreyas Iyer left the franchise after winning the 2024 IPL. They failed to qualify for the playoffs in the following two seasons; under Ajinkya Rahane, they had a horrifying performance, and they look to make the most of the next season by making some changes after Rahane’s retirement.
As per the recent report from the Telegraph, KKR did not show much interest in Hardik Pandya after the first round of discussions with MI, because of the all-rounder being injury-prone. However, now the franchise has gained interest, given the fact that they need a captain and Pandya has the experience of leading Gujarat Titans (GT) to the title.
Mumbai demands Harshit Rana and Angkrish Raghuvanshi for Hardik Pandya
But there have been roadblocks for KKR to acquire the services of Hardik Pandya, as MI asked for Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy in return. Cameron Green is also an option for the five-time champions, but his availability for the full season remains doubtful given the fact that there is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) and Ashes as well.
MI is asking for Harshit Rana and Angkrish Raghuvanshi in exchange for Hardik Pandya. The five-time champions desperately need an Indian wicketkeeper, and he is a local boy who plays for Mumbai in the domestic format. However, Angkrish has grown as a KKR player and has been a home boy for the Knights in the IPL, as he has been an exciting prospect.
Will KKR let go of Angkrish Raghuvanshi?
There is one question of whether KKR would want to trade Angkrish Raghuvanshi, especially when his mentor, Abhishek Nayar, is the head coach of the franchise. Previously KKR has let go of the young talents that they have worked hard to develop as players with a prime example being Shubman Gill, who has turned on to become of the finest cricketers for India.
There has been no final discussion that has taken place between MI and KKR. It is believed that it will take place in the upcoming weeks, given the fact that only two weeks remain for the retention deadline. It is going to be an exciting week for the fans and the franchise as well.
MI is also in talks with Rajasthan Royals
MI has also been in talks with Rajasthan Royals for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravi Bishnoi, but the trade deal is far from happening. The five-time champions are also in search of an Indian spinner, and Bishnoi would fill in the gap for the franchise. But do Royals need Hardik Pandya?
However, it is difficult to get Raghuvanshi or Jaiswal, who would also help MI, as both cricketers are from Mumbai and will add the local flavour. There is a high chance one of the two trades could ultimately take place before IPL 2027.
