A surprising twist in Hardik Pandya’s IPL trade talk? Ashwin names his leading players

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Hardik Pandya’s move to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is unlikely, despite speculation that MS Dhoni could play a role in bringing the Mumbai Indians all-rounder to the franchise. Ashwin also suggested that Rajasthan Royals could be in a better position to sign Hardik if the deal happens before IPL 2027.

Rumors of a potential move have picked up steam on social media as franchises prepare for the Nov. 15 retention deadline. Hardik’s potential move to CSK has attracted attention, but Ashwin feels there is no reason to believe the deal will go through at this stage.

“There have been talks that Dhoni will personally convince Hardik Pandya to come to CSK. He will be a great addition for CSK. But in my opinion it is really far,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

The former India spinner then pointed to Rajasthan Royals, suggesting they could lead the race for Hardik’s signature.

“From what I’ve heard, RRs are at the top of the list in the Hardik store,” he added.

A recent report from Cricbuzz claimed that Hardik’s chances of joining CSK have receded following the appointment of Zaheer Khan as the head coach. The report referred to the reported rift between Hardik and Zaheer during his tenure with Mumbai Indians. However, the new setup in CSK could change the equation.

Mumbai Indians are said to have held discussions with several franchises about a possible trade for Hardik, although no deal has been officially confirmed. With the IPL auction scheduled for December, the next few weeks could prove crucial as teams finalize their plans for next season.

Hardik’s future is not the only issue facing Mumbai. The franchise recently announced the departure of Mahela Jayawardene as head coach, ending his second stint in the role. The Sri Lankan returned ahead of the 2025 season after leading Mumbai to three IPL titles between 2017 and 2022.

Mumbai finished fourth in 2025 before losing Qualifier 2, but their campaign fell apart in 2026 as they finished the season in ninth place. The franchise must now find a new head coach and decide how to approach the retention deadline.

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