New Delhi: Hardik Pandya has become one of the most sought-after players ever since the all-rounder decided to leave Mumbai Indians (MI) after a disastrous campaign for the fifth-time champions in 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL).The race for the 32-year-old’s signature has intensified, and TimesofIndia.com can confirm that seven franchises have expressed an interest in signing the all-rounder. Only Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) 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 captain’s armband. Meanwhile, KKR are looking for a captain and RR are also ready to offer both leadership and a long-term role. It will be interesting to see how MI line up given the huge interest in their captain.Communication channels are currently active between MI, CSK and KKR. While the three parties have not yet confirmed anything, various options are being explored. Who wants to release CSK? Will it be a cash deal? Does KKR have tangible assets to trade? Or will it be a hurdle like the one in the case of KL Rahul last year?CSK remained patient observers as the buzz surrounding Pandya’s movement grew louder. The five-time champions are timing their entry exactly as they did during the successful trade that included Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran last season. Currently, CSK is in a very good position to sign Pandya, but a late hiccup cannot be ruled out as trading players remains a tricky business in the IPL ecosystem. The role of an influential person in the CSK set-up could be crucial to the direction of the trade.The most important aspect is the consent of the players and it will be interesting to see if Pandya wants to move to the franchise without the captain’s armband. Two highly regarded former national team captains have also expressed interest, one offering the captaincy, but initial talks have not materialized into anything meaningful. A new round of negotiations in the North cannot be ruled out, especially if talks continue to accelerate in the South.Pandya may not be the only prominent Indian cricketer involved in the trade this season. It is learned that MI will have to finalize the all-rounder’s move before addressing the future of one of his teammates. MI and interested franchises are likely to take this into account in their negotiations for Pandya. While this may not have a direct impact, it could affect the franchise’s approach to two possible transactions.
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If MI agree to a cash deal for Pandya, will they do the same for his India and MI teammate? How will the other franchises be positioned? There are no immediate answers, but they are expected to clear up soon. One store at a time.(We have approached parties who are actively interested in Hardik Pandya shop for comment. The story will be updated as soon as they respond.)
