The 2026 season of the Indian Premier League was poor for Mumbai Indians and its captain Hardik Pandya. While the team finished ninth with just four wins from 14 games, the all-rounder scored only 206 runs and claimed 4 wickets in 10 matches that he played.
There are reports that Pandya could have played his last match for the five-time IPL winners and is looking for a new franchise ahead of the next IPL season in 2027. Speculations are rife that the 32-year-old could be heading to Chennai Super Kings as he seeks a fresh start.
However, CSK are not the only team in contention to sign Pandya. Rajasthan Royals have also joined the race to sign the former Gujarat Titans skipper.
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According to a RevSportz report, Pandya's team is in advanced talks with Rajasthan Royals over a possible trade deal with Mumbai Indians. But to land Pandya, the 2008 champions will have to part ways with their star opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal.
The left-handed opener, who has been with the Royals since the start of his IPL career in 2020, has looked unsettled in recent times. And there are two mains reasons for Jaiswal being reportedly unnerved.
When long-time skipper Sanju Samson finalised his move to CSK ahead of the 2026 IPL season, it was believed that Jaiswal could take over the captaincy reins from Samson. However, that did not materalise as the team management made Riyan Parag the captain.
Further, the emergence of teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has shaken Jaiswal, as former cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin suggested in his YouTube video.
Meanwhile, MI are on the lookout for a young Indian opener to spearhead their batting lineup in the years ahead. With Rohit Sharma nearing the latter stages of his career, the franchise is keen to identify a long-term successor at the top of the order.
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Jaiswal would be an ideal fit, having spent most of his formative cricketing years in Mumbai and representing the city in domestic cricket. His familiarity with the Mumbai cricket ecosystem and proven credentials make him a natural candidate for the role.
RR have been in search of a fast-bowling all-rounder. Their trade with CSK involved bringing in all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran while sending Samson the other way. Curran did not play this year's IPL due to an injury and participation of English players in the IPL always remains doubtful. So, the franchise could benefit more from having Pandya in the squad.
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