Mumbai Indians (MI) reportedly asked Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Shivam Dube and Ayush Mhatre as part of a trade package to release Hardik Pandya ahead of IPL 2027, but CSK is said to be unwilling to part with Mhatre, offering Dube, Dewald Brevis, and INR 10 crore cash instead.
What’s Being Reported About the Hardik Pandya Trade
The talk of a Hardik Pandya move away from Mumbai Indians has picked up pace, with Chennai Super Kings widely seen as the frontrunner to land him before IPL 2027.
Since IPL rules don’t allow direct player-to-franchise negotiations, any move has to be routed as a trade between the two teams. That’s exactly what’s reportedly under discussion, and it involves some of the biggest young names on both rosters.
MI’s Asking Price: Shivam Dube and Ayush Mhatre
Mumbai wants to walk away with maximum value for handing over its captain, and that’s shaping its demands.
MI is chasing two names in particular: Shivam Dube, a pace-bowling all-rounder who mirrors Hardik’s skill set, and Ayush Mhatre, one of CSK’s most promising young batters.
The logic isn’t hard to follow. Dube gives MI a like-for-like replacement in the all-rounder slot Hardik would leave behind. Mhatre, meanwhile, would hand them a genuine long-term batting prospect, something every franchise wants once a marquee player walks out the door.
Why CSK Is Unlikely to Let Go of Ayush Mhatre
This is where the deal reportedly hits a snag. CSK doesn’t seem keen on letting a talent like Mhatre join a direct rival, and who can blame them? Handing your own rising star to the team you’re trying to beat is a tough sell in any dressing room, let alone Chennai’s.
Instead of Mhatre, CSK is said to be offering a different combination:
- Shivam Dube – the straight swap-style all-rounder MI wants anyway
- Dewald Brevis – another emerging talent, positioned as the alternate sweetener
- INR 10 crore cash – the additional fee to balance the valuation gap
So while both sides agree Dube is walking to Mumbai, the real tug-of-war is over Mhatre versus Brevis, with cash added on top to bridge whatever value difference remains.
How an IPL Trade Deal Like This Actually Works
Before this goes any further, it helps to know the ground rules. IPL trades can only happen in three formats, and CSK’s current offer fits neatly into one of them.
| Trade Type | How It Works | Applicable Here? |
|---|---|---|
| All-cash deal | One franchise buys a player outright for cash | Unlikely, per reports |
| Swap deal | Player exchanged directly for another player | Partially (Dube for Hardik) |
| Player-plus-cash deal | A player (or players) plus a cash top-up | Most likely scenario |
Reports suggest an all-cash move isn’t on the table here. A straightforward swap alone wouldn’t close the valuation gap either, which is why the player-plus-cash deal is being floated as the most realistic route for CSK to get Hardik on board.
Hardik’s own market value is reportedly pegged around INR 16.35 crore, though the final number will only be settled once both franchises sit across the table.
Hardik Pandya’s IPL 2026 Season Didn’t Help His Case
Any conversation about Hardik’s trade value has to factor in how he actually performed for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026, and the numbers weren’t kind to him.
| Category | Stat |
|---|---|
| Runs scored | 206 at an average of 22.89, strike rate 138.26 |
| Half-centuries | None |
| Death-over batting | 49 runs off 37 balls, strike rate 132.4 |
| Wickets taken | 4 in 22.4 overs |
| Overall economy | 11.43 |
| Death-over economy | 15.75 |
| Powerplay economy | 13.75 |
| Middle-over economy (12–16) | 7.80 |
Injuries kept him out of several games too, which only added to a season that fell well below the standard he set earlier in his career.
Even so, at 32, he’s still considered one of the better pace-bowling all-rounders in Indian cricket, which is precisely why teams are still willing to negotiate for him despite the dip in form.
What This Means for MI and CSK Heading Into IPL 2027
For Mumbai Indians, this trade is as much about squad rebuilding as it is about letting go of a big name. Bringing in a ready-made all-rounder in Dube, alongside either Mhatre or Brevis, gives them a head start on restructuring around a new core.
For Chennai Super Kings, landing Hardik would add serious firepower and experience to their all-rounder stocks, but it comes at the cost of trading away young talent they’ve spent seasons developing. That trade-off is likely why talks haven’t been finalised yet, and why Mhatre remains the sticking point.
Nothing here is confirmed. Trade windows tend to move quickly once official negotiations open, so expect more clarity as IPL 2027 planning takes shape.
Bottom Line
MI wants Shivam Dube and Ayush Mhatre for Hardik Pandya, but CSK would rather offer Dube, Dewald Brevis, and cash. Until an official trade window opens, this remains a reported scenario, not a done deal.
