Speculation over Hardik Pandya’s future at Mumbai Indians has intensified ahead of IPL 2027, with the five-time champions now at the centre of reports surrounding a potential trade involving Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
No agreement has been confirmed by either franchise, and Rajasthan Royals has not publicly indicated that Jaiswal is available for trade. However, the possibility of significant movement involving two of Indian cricket’s highest-profile players has emerged as a major storyline around the IPL trade window.
Mumbai Indians post puts Hardik back in spotlight
Mumbai Indians added another dimension to the discussion through its official social media account, sharing photographs of its Captain as questions continued around his position at the franchise.
Mumbai Indians said in a post on X: “Memo: Make it HP coded.”
Memo: Make it 𝑯𝑷 𝒄𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒅 🥶💙 pic.twitter.com/eabVkzk6s1
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) August 19, 2026
The post arrived against a backdrop of reports linking Hardik with a potential move away from the franchise he returned to ahead of IPL 2024. MI had reacquired the all-rounder from Gujarat Titans through the trade window and installed him as Captain in place of Rohit Sharma.
Hardik had originally made his IPL debut for Mumbai in 2015 before leaving ahead of the 2022 season to join Gujarat Titans. He captained the new franchise to the IPL title in its debut campaign and remained in charge for another season before returning to Mumbai.
Since his return, MI finished at the bottom of the table in 2024, reached the playoffs in 2025 and ended IPL 2026 in ninth position.
Jaiswal emerges in potential trade scenario
The uncertainty surrounding Hardik has developed alongside separate questions about Jaiswal’s future with Rajasthan Royals.
According to a report by myKhel, Rajasthan’s management is not entirely satisfied with Jaiswal’s attitude, contributing to speculation that the franchise could consider a trade. There has been no official confirmation from Rajasthan Royals that the India opener is available.
Reports have subsequently linked Mumbai Indians with Jaiswal, including discussion of a possible transaction involving Hardik. Any such deal remains speculative, with no confirmation that MI and Rajasthan Royals have reached an agreement.
Jaiswal scored 427 runs from 16 matches during IPL 2026, averaging 30.50 with a strike rate of 152.50. He registered three half-centuries and finished with an unbeaten 77 as his highest score of the season.
His Rajasthan Royals career now stands at 2,593 runs from 82 innings across 83 matches, including two centuries and 18 half-centuries. His most productive campaign came in 2023, when he scored 625 runs from 14 matches at an average of 48.08 and strike rate of 163.61.
Other franchises linked with Hardik
Hardik has also been linked with interest from Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2027. However, Mumbai Indians has not committed to trading its Captain and could ultimately retain him.
KKR has been linked particularly strongly with Hardik, although the possibility of completing a trade is complicated by reports that the franchise does not want to surrender one of its leading players in return.
For Mumbai, the decision carries additional significance because of Hardik’s role as Captain and the scale of the leadership change made when he returned from Gujarat Titans. For Rajasthan, any decision involving Jaiswal would concern a player who has developed into one of the franchise’s most established Indian batters.
With neither MI nor Rajasthan Royals confirming the reported trade scenario, the futures of Hardik and Jaiswal remain unresolved as the IPL 2027 trade process continues.
