Former Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni is reportedly involved in talks regarding a potential swap of Hardik Pandya from Mumbai Indians to Chennai Super Kings before the start of the IPL 2027 season.

 

Dhoni has put forward Pandya's name as a successor and future captain of the franchise according to a report. Both the franchises are facing questions about their captaincy prospects.

 

Dhoni decided to step down from the captaincy of Chennai Super Kings just before the start of the IPL 2024 season and was succeeded by Ruturaj Gaikwad as the captain. CSK has since lost its usual rhythm and could not reach the playoffs under Gaikwad's leadership. The franchise finished eighth in the IPL 2026 standing with only six wins from 14 matches in the league stages.

 

In the report by CricBlogger, the source mentioned stated:

 

"Dhoni and Hardik share a very close bond. If Dhoni is not returning to CSK, he suggested Hardik’s name as a possible successor. Both are exceptional players and natural leaders, and Hardik’s presence would only strengthen CSK."

 

Also Read | Hardik Pandya Injury Boosts Nitish Reddy's ODI Chances

 

Hardik Pandya's Future at Mumbai Indians Under Spotlight

 

Pandya's future with Mumbai Indians has come under fire with another below-par season for the team. After being appointed as the captain in 2024, Pandya has failed to replicate the success he had while leading the Gujarat Titans.

 

Mumbai Indians failed to make the playoffs in two of his three seasons as captain and made it to the IPL 2025 playoffs where they lost to Punjab Kings and were knocked out of the competition.

 

Reports also indicate a strain in the Mumbai dressing room where the all-rounder has had issues with the experienced Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. However, there has been no official update as speculation mounts regarding his future at the franchise being jeopardized.

 

CSK Looking to The Future

 

Chennai Super Kings is also believed to be in the future plan as they look forward to setting a new leadership group. Since Dhoni is not the skipper and with team struggling to deliver consistently, an experienced captain like Pandya may be attractive to the management.

 

However, Pandya currently is struggling with injuries. He played only 10 games in IPL 2026 and missed out of upcoming ODI's against Afghanistan and T20's against Ireland and England.

 

No official announcement of this nature has been made but with Dhoni himself believed to have backed Pandya, and with questions over his future with Mumbai Indians, it is unlikely that speculations would die down anytime soon as franchises make the preparations for IPL 2027.