IPL 2026: It has been a roller-coaster of a season for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, but the drama off the pitch is fast taking the focus away from the action on it. After MI were officially eliminated from the race to the playoffs with their loss to RCB on May 10, the focus has now shifted entirely to the future of their captain, Hardik Pandya.
On May 13, 2026, speculation reached fever pitch as a cryptic but explosive tweet by Revsportz journalist Rohit Juglan sent shockwaves through the cricketing community. Juglan told fans to “watch the trade window” with the claim a big name player, widely believed to be Pandya, has already made calls to one franchise in the South and another in the North.
As reports of a fallout between Pandya and the MI management gather pace, here are the three most likely destinations for the star all-rounder.
1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – The “South” Connection
The most consistent rumour is on Hardik and the Yellow Army. On May 2, a video had gone viral of Hardik having a heated 10-minute conversation with CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan at Chepauk. With MS Dhoni expected to move into a full-time mentorship role, CSK needs a seasoned Indian skipper who is aware of the pressures of high-stakes playoffs. His style of captaincy, which he displayed in his Gujarat Titans days is very cool and similar to the way CSK functions. Hence he would be the ideal man to lead the post Dhoni era.
2. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – The Southern Rival
RCB is the other big “South” franchise who could make the “biggest trade” that Juglan mentioned. The future leadership of RCB remains a talking point as they look for long-term stability despite their recent resurgence in form. The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium requires a middle-order powerhouse who can bowl four overs. If Hardik wants a fresh start in a high-octane environment, then the prospect of joining hands with Virat Kohli would surely be the biggest story in IPL history.
3. Punjab Kings (PBKS) – The “North” Destination
If you are looking towards the North, then the Punjab Kings are the obvious choice. Shreyas Iyer has shown flashes of brilliance in PBKS, but the franchise is known for its aggressive strategy in the trade market and the pursuit of a “box-office” Indian icon. Hardik’s arrival could just provide the X-factor the Kings have been missing for seasons. With “North” being mentioned in the viral tweet, PBKS is a natural favourite to secure the all-rounder.
The “Instagram Unfollow” and Looming Trade Window
The eagle-eyed fans also spotted Hardik unfollowed Mumbai Indians on Instagram after their defeat in Raipur, further fuelling the exit rumour. He followed the account again minutes later, but many viewed it as a sign of raw frustration.
Add that he’s not even on this Dharamshala trip because he has “back spasms” and the narrative is shifting from “if” he departs to “where. The 2027 Auction and the Trading Window are around the corner, and this mid-season trade talk suggests that the “Pandya-MI” experiment might be coming to a sudden, controversial end.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
