Hardik Pandya and Cameron Green - (Source: AFP)
In a significant development, Hardik Pandya’s potential move to Kolkata Knight Riders via trade for IPL 2027 has been called off. It is no secret that things are not well within the Mumbai Indians’ group, and their captain was looking to shift base before the upcoming edition.
Mumbai Indians had a poor IPL 2026 campaign, as they finished 9th on the table. Hardik Pandya missed the business end of the tournament because of injury, and later rumours surfaced that the star all-rounder wants to play for a new team.
Hardik Pandya-Cameron Green Trade Called off
In the latest events, a report from Sahil Malhotra of Times of India mentioned that Pandya will not be going to KKR for IPL 2027. Notably, several teams expressed interest in roping in Pandya, but the Knight Riders were the front-runners.
The three-time winners offered Cameron Green, but in the latest developments, the Mumbai Indians have expressed that they will not go ahead with the trade because of a lack of a tradeable asset.
The MI board is sceptical of Australian stars’ commitment for IPL 2027 because of the Ashes and also the 2027 World Cup. Therefore, they don’t want to replace Hardik with Cameron Green.
So, at the moment, there is no movement on Hardik Pandya’s trade, and there is a possibility that Pandya might actually stay at MI for IPL 2027.
Chennai Super Kings Enter Race To Sign Hardik Pandya
The same report from TOI mentioned that despite no movement on MI captain’s trade at the moment, the interest has not died down. There is still time for the trade window to close, and reports suggest that Chennai Super Kings are interested.
Earlier, there were rumours that CSK offered Shivam Dube and some cash, but again MI rejected the proposal as they were not satisfied with the deal.
Also Read: Rohit Sharma Back In Leadership Group As MI Set For Big IPL 2027 Shake Up
In the latest developments, it is said that CSK are expected to revive their pursuit of Hardik Pandya once they finalise their new head coach.
Hardik Pandya Likely To Play At MI Under New Captain
The TOI report also mentioned the possibility of Hardik not going anywhere and getting retained for IPL 2027. However, Pandya is unlikely to continue as MI captain.
Rumours suggest that Tilak Varma and Jasprit Bumrah are the front-runners to become the next MI captain. The chances of the former having an edge over the India seamer are quite high, and there is a strong possibility that the star all-rounder might play IPL 2027 under Tilak Varma’s leadership.
“Don't be surprised if Pandya is not traded at all. Discussions have also happened with the player along these lines. For a trade to happen, multiple things need to fall into place. So it's not that straightforward,” said an MI source as quoted by TOI.
In a nutshell, the 32-year-old’s future is still uncertain, but KKR have definitely dealt a blow because they too need to revamp their squad following a flop season, and Pandya’s presence would have done wonders.
Also Read: Mumbai Indians Seal Suryakumar Yadav's Fate For IPL 2027
