Rumours are rife that Hardik Pandya may have played his final game for Mumbai Indians and could explore opportunities elsewhere ahead of the next IPL season. Speculation has even linked the 32-year-old with a potential move to Mumbai's arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings.
Mumbai and Pandya endured a disastrous campaign in IPL 2026. The five-time champions managed just four wins while suffering 10 defeats in 14 matches as they crashed out of the tournament in disappointing fashion.
Pandya too failed to make an impact, scoring only 206 runs and claiming four wickets in the 10 games he featured in. Unsurprisingly, both the franchise and its skipper have come under intense criticism for their underwhelming performances.
Under Pandya's leadership, Mumbai often looked out of sync and lacked the spark that once defined the franchise. The all-rounder himself appeared far from his usual confident and expressive self on the field, further fuelling speculation about his future with the team.
The buzz intensified after Pandya shared a cryptic Instagram story featuring a picture of his laptop, notepad and mobile phone. Fans quickly noticed the time displayed on the phone — '07:07' — and linked the repeated number seven to MS Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings' iconic No. 7.
While many initially dismissed the post as a coincidence, former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin added fuel to the speculation with a cryptic response on X.
Ashwin responded to an X account named Madras Man, which posted: "If #KKR decides to release Matheesha Pathirana, should CSK go for him again? Thoughts, CSK fans?"
The former CSK player responded with a cryptic reply of his own, writing: "Pathirana, 07:07 & Stokes ! Opening✅ Dube & 07:07 MiddleOrder/Finishing✅ Overton & Stokes Balance✅"
Pathirana, 07:07 & Stokes !
— Ashwin ???????? (@ashwinravi99) May 26, 2026
Opening✅
Dube & 07:07 MiddleOrder/Finishing✅
Overton & Stokes Balance✅ https://t.co/kSALlKQDCp
Fans wasted little time connecting the dots, with many convinced that the “07:07” reference was a subtle nod towards Hardik Pandya.
Interestingly, while Pandya's Instagram story disappeared shortly after it was posted — surviving only through screenshots shared by fans online — Ashwin's post continues to remain live, further intensifying the speculation surrounding a possible blockbuster move to Chennai Super Kings.
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