Discussions about team compositions have intensified following the announcement of the IPL 2027 mini-auction dates. The mini-auction is scheduled for December 16 in Goa, and teams have begun preparing for this event.
Before the mini-auction, all teams must submit a list of players they plan to retain or release to the IPL Board. Amid discussions about player retention rules, important information emerged regarding Indian star all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Former Indian spinner R Ashwin made a statement asserting that the probability of Hardik Pandya moving to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is extremely low. Conversely, Ashwin believes that Rajasthan Royals (RR) is at the forefront of the race to attract this star player.
Discussing this topic on his YouTube channel, R Ashwin refuted rumors that MS Dhoni could personally agree to Hardik Pandya's transfer to CSK, calling it an unlikely scenario. The reason contributing to this situation, according to the expert, is the appointment of Zaheer Khan as the new head coach of CSK in September 2026. Reports of disagreements between Hardik and Zaheer during the latter's previous tenure with Mumbai Indians were also discussed.
On the other hand, the IPL 2026 season for Mumbai Indians was very poor. The team won only 4 out of 14 matches and finished ninth in the table. Hardik Pandya himself also showed weak batting form, scoring only 206 runs in 10 games at an average of 138.25 and taking 4 wickets.
According to R Ashwin, if Hardik Pandya makes a move, Rajasthan Royals is leading the race. Furthermore, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who are looking for a new captain after Ajinkya Rahane's departure, and Lucknow Super Kings (LSG) are mentioned in the trade discussions, although no franchise has officially confirmed an offer yet.
The deadline for submitting player retention lists for IPL 2027 is November 15, 2026, and the auction will take place in December 2026. In the coming weeks, it will become clear what next step Hardik Pandya will choose in his IPL career.