Kolkata Knight Riders have added to the buzz around Hardik Pandya’s IPL future after posting a video featuring the Mumbai Indians captain. The video showed KKR spinner Varun Chakravarthy at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. While Chakravarthy was exercising, Pandya walked past him from behind and teased him.The video quickly caught the attention of fans, with many linking it to the ongoing talk around Pandya’s possible IPL trade.“Wait for it,” KKR captioned the video.
Pandya’s difficult IPL 2026
Pandya has been linked with a possible move away from Mumbai Indians after another difficult season for the five-time champions.Mumbai Indians finished ninth in the 10-team IPL 2026 table, with four wins from 14 matches. Under Pandya, MI have reached the playoffs only once in three seasons.Pandya also had a difficult individual campaign. He scored 206 runs and took four wickets in 10 matches.The 32-year-old has not played competitive cricket since the end of IPL 2026.
Ashwin on Pandya
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has also shared his views on a possible Pandya trade.Speaking on his Tamil YouTube channel, Ashwin said Mumbai Indians should only agree to a deal with KKR if they receive players who can make their squad stronger.“Don’t count out Hardik going to a franchise other than CSK or KKR. The talk is that CSK will give Dube and a pacer, while KKR will give away Cameron Green. What happens if Green decides to focus on the Ashes next year? If I were MI, I would accept a deal with KKR on only one condition: getting Harshit Rana and Rinku Singh in return. That is the only way MI gets stronger,” Ashwin had said.Ashwin also said Mumbai would need to consider how a Pandya trade could strengthen the teams interested in signing him.“MI will also think about who between CSK and KKR gets stronger through the Hardik trade. If CSK give away Dube and one Indian pacer to get Hardik, they get strong but not invincible. However, if KKR get Hardik, they suddenly look very strong. KKR will become a lethal batting lineup with Hardik. These are teams with five, five and three titles, so MI have to think about how they can ensure one of these teams doesn’t leapfrog them,” he added.
