Former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh has advised the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) against sacrificing their promising young talents in a potential trade for Mumbai Indians (MI) all-rounder Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2027 season. With speculation surrounding Hardik’s future after Mumbai’s disappointing IPL 2026 campaign, Ramesh believes CSK should pursue the star all-rounder only if they can retain their emerging core. Trade rumours involving Hardik Pandya have gathered momentum following another underwhelming season for Mumbai Indians.
Since taking over the captaincy in 2024, Hardik has overseen a difficult period for the five-time champions, who have missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. In IPL 2026, MI finished second from bottom after managing just four wins in 14 league matches, further fueling reports of a possible move.
Speaking on his Instagram account, Sadagoppan Ramesh admitted that Hardik would strengthen CSK as a player but insisted the franchise should not part ways with youngsters such as Shivam Dube, Ayush Mhatre or Dewald Brevis to make the deal happen.
“There are a lot of speculations around this with several players like Dube, Mhatre and Brevis being mentioned. But the biggest question is whether CSK needs Hardik Pandya. The answer is both yes and no. Firstly, there is no way CSK should let go of youngsters. Yet, CSK are in desperate need of proven players. So as a player, CSK needs Hardik Pandya. But, he is absolutely not needed as a captain,” Ramesh said.
WATCH – Mohammad Amir Picks Virat Kohli As The Toughest Batter Of His Career
The former opener also questioned Hardik’s leadership credentials despite his impressive record with Gujarat Titans. While Hardik guided GT to the IPL title in 2022 and the runners-up finish in 2023, Sadagoppan Ramesh argued that Gujarat have remained competitive even after his departure, suggesting the franchise’s structure played a major role in that success.
“I’ve always seen Hardik Pandya as two parts—an extraordinary cricketer and a poor captain. Yes, he led GT to the title. But it has become clearer once he left GT that even without him as captain, GT has not suffered. They just reached the final again. But see where the team he captained, MI, has been in the same timeframe,” he added.
Ramesh also pointed to Hardik’s individual performances during IPL 2026, believing they contributed significantly to Mumbai’s struggles. The all-rounder managed just 206 runs and claimed only four wickets in 10 matches while bowling just 22 overs throughout the tournament.
According to Sadagoppan Ramesh, Hardik failed to maximise his impact by not bowling during crucial phases and batting too low in the order. He stressed that great captains lead from the front, something he believes Hardik achieved at Gujarat but failed to replicate at Mumbai.
WATCH – Roston Chase Issues Warning As West Indies Eye Pakistan Test Series Sweep
Ramesh concluded that Hardik remains one of the finest all-rounders in world cricket but performs at his best when supported by a strong leadership group and coaching staff. Meanwhile, CSK also endured a disappointing IPL 2026 season, winning only six of their 14 matches and missing the playoffs for the third successive year, making squad-building decisions ahead of IPL 2027 even more crucial.
