Kolkata Knight Riders are reportedly trying their best to get Hardik Pandya from Mumbai Indians. KKR has apparently even offered him the captain's job and is in talks with the Mumbai franchise. This potential mega-trade is now the biggest buzz in cricket circles.
Mumbai: It looks like another massive trade is on the cards in the IPL, even before the 2027 season. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have reportedly started a major push to get Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya on their side.
If Hardik agrees to the move, KKR has promised to make him the captain. News agency PTI reports that the Kolkata management has already had several rounds of talks with Mumbai Indians on this.
Last IPL season, Mumbai Indians finished ninth on the points table under Hardik Pandya's leadership. In the two seasons since he returned as captain, Mumbai only made it to the playoffs once in 2025, finishing third. After last season's poor show, Hardik's own social media posts had hinted that he might be looking to leave the Mumbai team.
KKR had contacted the Mumbai franchise last year itself
Last season, Kolkata had made Ajinkya Rahane a temporary captain, but he failed with both the bat and his leadership. KKR is grooming youngster Rinku Singh as the vice-captain for the future. However, the Kolkata management wants an experienced captain like Hardik right now to win the title.
Sources close to the IPL told PTI that KKR had approached Mumbai officials at the end of last season. But the talks didn't get much attention back then because of Reliance's Annual General Meeting. Now, Kolkata has started the discussions again with full force.
The ball is in Mumbai's court
Kolkata is keen on a direct cash deal to trade for Hardik. But it's not clear if Mumbai wants money or a player swap. Former England captain Michael Vaughan had earlier predicted a possible swap deal, suggesting Australian all-rounder Cameron Green could go to Mumbai in exchange for Hardik to KKR.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals had also approached Mumbai Indians for Hardik. Their plan was to trade their superstar Yashasvi Jaiswal to Mumbai to get Hardik.
But these talks fell apart right at the beginning. Besides, Rajasthan Royals has already picked Assam's Riyan Parag as their long-term captain. So, Hardik has very little chance of getting the captaincy there. For Hardik, who wants to be a captain, the Kolkata Knight Riders' offer is much more attractive than Rajasthan's.
According to IPL rules, players cannot negotiate trades directly with franchises. Once the teams agree on a deal, the trade can only be completed with the player's consent. If the player says no, he has to be released into the auction.
