Aakash Chopra Rules Out Hardik Pandya To CSK Move, Cites Zaheer Khan As Reason

As Hardik Pandya’s future in the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains open following an ill-fated second stint at Mumbai Indians (MI), former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra ruled out a trade deal to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and claimed newly appointed head coach Zaher Khan was the reason behind it. The star all-rounder has been linked with a move to the five-time champions due to his close relations with MS Dhoni.

Aakash Chopra claimed Hardik Pandya will not join CSK |Courtesy – BCCI/X/PTI

“I feel he wouldn’t go to CSK now. I don’t think that story is transpiring after Zaheer Khan went there. Delhi still becomes a slightly viable option because, if a swap happens with Axar Patel, then there is a possibility,” the former KKR player said.Mumbai need Axar Patel extremely importantly. They want an Indian bowler who can bowl spin in the middle overs,” said Chopra in a video on his YouTube channel.

The ex-India opener cited Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as the ideal teams for Hardik to move to and claimed he will get a chance to lead both teams.

“The good team will be KKR. He will get the captaincy there. He can manage the team in his own way. He can get set properly in that team. So, the best team for him is the Kolkata Knight Riders. However, who will Kolkata give to Mumbai, that’s a separate issue altogether.

“LSG won’t be a bad team for him. He would get captaincy and a good place in the middle order there. Once again, a franchise that needs a leader. He can slightly improve both teams’ future with his might. I am shortlisting those two teams. He won’t get captaincy in any other place. That’s the other thing. He may not actually enjoy that,” Chopra added.

While Mumbai Indians (MI) are yet to make an official announcement, it has been reliably reported that he will not remain the Men in Blue and Gold’s captain in the 2027 season, which has prompted suggestions that he could leave the franchise.

Since Hardik took charge of MI, they finished as the wooden spoon holders (10th) in 2024 and second-last (9th) in 2026. They reached the playoffs in 2025 but failed to reach the final after a second qualifier defeat.

Disclaimer: This article summarises a report by Aakash Chopra. While Times Now has verified the public data presented, the interpretations of ‘intent’ remain those of the creator.

Aayush Kataria is a Senior Copy Editor at Times Network with five years of… Aayush Kataria is a Senior Copy Editor at Times Network with five years of experience, having started his career in the organisation. He is a key member of the sports desk and helps in the coverage of national and international sports events. He specialises in cricket coverage while consistently writing about football, tennis, Formula 1, and Olympic Sports. At Times Network, he is known for his ability to quickly break important news developments, spot key stories, and pick unique angles to maximise readership. Aayush also excels at researching record books to find original, stats-based content, which helps the site stay ahead of competitors. His responsibilities include publishing news articles, running live blogs, crafting photo galleries and web stories, as well as writing opinion pieces and feature articles. He has also interviewed the likes of Patrick Kluivert, HS Prannoy, Leander Paes, and Anil Kumble for the website. View MoreView Less