New Delhi: Hardik Pandya has become one of the most sought-after players since the all-rounder decided to leave Mumbai Indians (MI) after the five-time champions’ disastrous campaign in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL).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. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) entered the race late but have now set up an exciting contest with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), while Rajasthan Royals (RR) are also in the fray. Pandya is a perfect fit for CSK, especially in the post-MS Dhoni era, but there is no guarantee that he will wear the captaincy armband. Meanwhile, KKR are looking for a captain, and RR, too, are ready to offer both leadership and a long-term role. It will be interesting to see how MI positions itself, given the strong interest in their captain.The communication channels are currently active between MI, CSK and KKR. While the three parties have not confirmed anything yet, various options are being explored. Who will CSK let go? Will it be an all-cash deal? Do KKR have a tangible asset to trade? Or will it be a roadblock like the one in KL Rahul’s case last year?CSK have remained patient observers as the buzz around Pandya’s movement has grown stronger. 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 role of an influential figure in the CSK set-up could hold the key to the trade’s direction.The most important aspect is player consent, and it will be interesting to see whether Pandya is keen to move to a franchise without the captaincy armband. 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.Pandya might not be the only high-profile Indian cricketer involved in a trade this season. It has been learnt that MI will have to finalise the all-rounder’s move before addressing the future of one of his teammates. MI and the interested franchises are likely to factor that into their negotiations for Pandya. While this may not have a direct impact, it could influence the franchise’s approach to the two possible transactions.
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If MI agree to an all-cash deal for Pandya, will they do the same for his India and MI teammate? How will the other franchises position themselves? There are no immediate answers, but clarity is expected to emerge soon. One trade at a time.(We reached out to the parties actively interested in the Hardik Pandya trade for comment. The story will be updated as soon as they respond.)
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