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The race to get Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2027 Indian Premier League season gets more intense as a total of seven franchises are reportedly showing interest in the star all-rounder.
Hardik Pandya wished to leave the Mumbai Indians (MI) after the disastrous campaign in the 2026 season. It was earlier learnt that teams like the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), who want to make a shift in their leadership roles, want Hardik Pandya on board.
Chennai Super Kings are in the fray to sign Hardik Pandya
According to the latest media report, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) also joins the race to acquire the services of the pace-bowling all-rounder. According to a Times of India report, a total of seven franchises are in the race to sign Hardik Pandya. Only Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) sit silent in the case.
“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 Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have remained spectators,” according to the media report.
What will Mumbai Indians demand in return?
As multiple parties are in talks with the Mumbai Indians for Hardik, nothing is finalized yet. KKR and RR’s interests make sense as both of these teams are looking for a new face to lead the teams in the 2027 season. CSK’s situation is different.
The team management, which believes in doing a long-term project, shows immense trust in Ruturaj Gaikwad as the successor of their legendary skipper MS Dhoni. As a prolific all-rounder, Hardik’s inclusion will balance the team and will provide extra strength.
But will they offer the captaincy armband to Hardik Pandya? That remains doubtful. It is also understandable that despite lacklustre performances in back-to-back seasons, Mumbai Indians will demand lucrative deals in exchange. It can be an all-cash deal or can be a trade deal.
If KKR wants to do a trade deal for Hardik Pandya, who will they offer in return? The same can be said for the Rajasthan Royals and the other teams who are currently in the race.
Last year, it was speculated that the Kolkata Knight Riders were eager to sign KL Rahul from the Delhi Capitals. Talks between the two franchises were believed to go far, but in the end, it was a roadblock for KKR. KL Rahul remained with the Delhi Capitals.
Chennai Super Kings applied the same method last season for Sanju Samson
As per the media report, CSK made their entry into the race late. They took 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 five-time champions are timing their entry exactly the way they did during the blockbuster trade involving Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran last season. Currently, CSK are in a very strong position to sign Pandya, but late hiccups cannot be ruled out as player trades remain a tricky business in the IPL ecosystem,” the media report further mentioned.
