Shardul Thakur has responded to growing speculation over Hardik Pandya’s future at Mumbai Indians, dismissing transfer rumors surrounding the MI skipper after the team’s six-wicket win over Punjab Kings on 14 May.
In the post-match press conference, Shardul said social media chatter should remain largely confined to social media and clarified that Hardik is currently unavailable due to injury.
“There is a lot of talk on social media. Some are true and some are false. But ultimately only the team management decides,” said Shardul.
PBKS vs MI: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
Hardik did not travel with the team to Dharamsala for the match against Punjab and has now missed Mumbai’s last three matches of the 2026 Indian Premier League season.
The MI skipper’s absence has sparked rumors of unrest within the franchise, with speculation suggesting that Hardik could be traded to Chennai Super Kings. The news and fan chatter has intensified due to the perceived close relationship between CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan and former India captain MS Dhoni.
Hardik has also been loosely linked with franchises like Delhi Capitals after a disappointing season in Mumbai.
However, Shardul insisted that the all-rounder’s absence was purely due to injury and revealed that Hardik is currently undergoing rehabilitation in Mumbai.
“If we talk about Hardik Pandya specifically, he was injured and did not travel with the team. He traveled to Raipur but could not play there. Now he is training in Mumbai. I expect him to be back in action in Kolkata and play,” Shardul said.
“We always miss a player of his caliber when he is not playing,” he added.
Mumbai are scheduled to face Kolkata Knight Riders on May 20 at the Eden Gardens.
Hardik endured a difficult IPL 2026 campaign as a captain as well as a player. He managed just 146 runs with the bat at a strike rate of 136, while taking just four wickets with the ball at an average of 61 this season.
On Thursday, despite the absence of Hardik Pandya and vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai Indians managed to beat Punjab Kings by 6 wickets. Tilak Varma put on a 201-run chase and led the team to victory with a massive six off the penultimate ball.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
May 15, 2026 01:08 IST
