Seven IPL franchises have reportedly approached Mumbai Indians in exchange for the captain. hardik pandya Ahead of the 2027 season, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals are considered to be the frontrunners in the discussion with the five-time champions.
Mumbai finished ninth on the IPL 2026 points table with just four wins from 14 matches and while leading the team, Pandya struggled throughout the season with both bat and ball. The all-rounder scored only 206 runs in 10 innings at an average of 22.89, while his bowling returns included four wickets at an economy of 11.43.
Kolkata, which has missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, is believed to be looking towards the past Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy, while Rajasthan have reportedly started swapping opener Yashasvi Jaiswal to bring Pandya to Jaipur. The identities of the other five franchises linked to Chase have not been detailed in reports so far.
“Rahane was always a temporary solution for KKR, everyone knew he would be released after this season. Kolkata had tried to negotiate with MI owners some time ago, but it was bad timing, the Reliance AGM distracted everyone. Now they are back at the table, and real discussions are happening,” an IPL insider was quoted as saying by DNA India.
Why is Rajasthan Royals' pitch complicated for Hardik Pandya?
Rajasthan has also initiated talks, but their pitch comes with its own complexities. The franchise is meant to be watched Riyan Parag As their long-term captain, that means Pandya will likely arrive without the armband if he goes to Jaipur, a factor that could weigh heavily given his leadership ambitions and stature in the game.
Will Kolkata Knight Riders hand over the captaincy to Hardik Pandya?
Kolkata's interest is understood to be particularly linked to the leadership, since the franchise has no permanent long-term captain Shreyas IyerTitle winning tenure in 2024. Pandya led Gujarat Titans to the 2022 IPL title and has captained Mumbai Indians since his high-profile trade to the franchise in 2024, giving him more white-ball captaincy experience than most players currently in the trade conversation.
There has been no official confirmation on any trade talks so far from Mumbai Indians or any of the seven franchises reportedly in the race. IPL business rules require sign-off from both franchises and players, with any deal must be finalized before the window closes ahead of the IPL 2027 mini auction in December.
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