One of the most talked-about trade rumours before the IPL 2027 auction has been Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) rumoured interest in Mumbai Indians’ (MI) captain, Hardik Pandya. Notably, several reputed news outlets have reported that Hardik and MI are set to part ways.
There have been several other franchises as well that are interested in Hardik Pandya; CSK has been at the forefront for a multitude of reasons. There is also a question of whether Hardik Pandya, if he joins CSK, will captain the franchise as well or not. We take a look at three reasons why Hardik Pandya shouldn’t captain CSK, if he’s traded.
Here are the 3 reasons why Hardik Pandya shouldn’t lead CSK in IPL 2027 if traded:
3. CSK has a culture and needs a captain that fits right in
CSK has been a franchise moulded into a culture by MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming. Ruturaj Gaikwad was identified as the captain because he fit that mould and culture, and despite continuous failures, the Maharashtra batter has been backed because of culture. Hardik Pandya, on the other hand, brings a more aggressive and expressive leadership style. CSK doesn’t necessarily require a superstar captain; what they need is someone who grasps the franchise’s philosophy.
2. Hardik Pandya’s captaincy has been questionable
Hardik Pandya always had captaincy ambitions, and this was a reason he moved to Gujarat Titans after being released by the Mumbai Indians. He led GT to the IPL 2022 title and to the final in 2023. However, the lure of captaining a prestigious team like MI made him switch in IPL 2024. However, his captaincy came under severe scrutiny, especially under pressure. He was also seen not listening to advice from senior and experienced players, instead doing things his way.
1. CSK needs to focus on long-term captaincy options
CSK already has a good captain in Ruturaj Gaikwad, but his performance as captain and as a batter has been on a downward trend. Under Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK has not made it into the IPL playoffs from 2024 to 2025. Despite his diminishing returns as a batter due to captaincy pressure, CSK has backed Gaikwad nonetheless. Even if they want a new captain, they have a ready option in Sanju Samson, who led the Rajasthan Royals from IPL 2021 to 2025, leading them to the final in the 2022 edition. He is also only 31 and can lead the team for the next five or six years, given the chance.
