Hardik Pandya Told Trade Might Not Happen, Rohit Sharma To Pick Next MI Captain: Report
Major developments have taken place within the Mumbai Indians camp, particularly regarding captaincy and the Hardik Pandya trade.
- After months of trade talks, Hardik Pandya could reportedly end up staying at Mumbai Indians for IPL 2027
- However, the franchise is set to appoint a new captain, with Tilak Varma and Jasprit Bumrah the big candidates
- Five-time IPL-winning captain Rohit Sharma has been heavily involved in discussions over MI's new skipper
After months of trade rumours, it has now emerged that star all-rounder Hardik Pandya could stay on with Mumbai Indians (MI) for another year - even without captaincy. According to reports, trade talks involving Hardik are yet to materialize, with MI not yet finding an adequate deal. Therefore, the possibility of Hardik staying with the franchise for IPL 2027 has not been ruled out. However, the franchise is reportedly set for a captaincy change, with Rohit Sharma heavily involved in the decision-making.
Who will be MI's new captain?
According to a report by the Times of India, the Mumbai Indians (MI) management are looking to head in a different direction under a new captain.
Rohit Sharma, who led the franchise to five IPL titles, is not keen on taking over as captain once again. Instead, he is reportedly actively involved in the discussions over who should take over the leadership of the franchise.
Tilak Varma and Jasprit Bumrah are the primary candidates to take over captaincy, with Tilak the favourite as things stand, as per the report.
Hardik Pandya trade saga details
When it comes to Hardik's potential trade, the report claims that MI held talks with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The three-time IPL champions had also brought up Australia all-rounder Cameron Green as a potential asset in a trade deal. However, that did not convince MI, with doubts surrounding Green's workload for next year.
Talks with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are reportedly expected to happen once they fix their new head coach.
"Don't be surprised if he is not traded at all. Discussions have also happened with the player along these lines. For a trade to happen, multiple things need to fall into place. So it's not that straightforward," says a source tracking developments," said a source close to developments, as per the report.
Future of Suryakumar Yadav
According to the report, Suryakumar Yadav is likely to be retained by Mumbai Indians for IPL 2027. Despite a poor 2026 campaign, MI are expected to hold on to the 35-year-old.
"Yes, he didn't have a good season last year, but what about the ones before that? MI will not discard a player based on one season, and that's not how they operate. They take pride in the 'One Family' tag and swear by it," the source said of Suryakumar's situation.
Mahela Jayawardene is also reportedly set to continue as head coach for another year, having signed a two-plus-one contract.
IPL 2027 being the last year before a mega auction has seemingly played a role in the lack of wholesale changes at MI.
Hardik Pandya
Rohit Sharma
Mahela Jayawardene
Jasprit Bumrah
Mumbai Indians