Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra feels Hardik Pandya trade will decide Mumbai Indians’ retention and release plans for IPL 2027Scroll down to read the full story.
Published: November 10, 2026, 11:18 PM IST
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Aakash Chopra opens up on Hardik Pandya trade and MI’s IPL 2027 plans (Image – X)
Mumbai Indians are one of the most successful teams in TATA IPL historyBut they have not reached the final in the last six seasonsThe team will now hope to perform better and win the title in IPL 2027.
Speaking on JioStar, Abhinav Mukund and Aakash Chopra spoke about the players Mumbai Indians may release before the IPL 2027 retention deadlineThey also discussed how the possible Hardik Pandya trade could change the team’s plansThey also explained why Mumbai Indians need an Indian wicketkeeper in their team.
“Five matches, two wickets, 11 and a half runs per overThat tells me that Trent Boult has to be released12.5 crore is a lot of money, and in exchange, you can get quite a few players, and many people won’t even need to be releasedHardik Pandya will be a trade; it’s not going to be a release or retention question.”
“So, if, in exchange for him, you cannot find players, then you have to retain Hardik PandyaThere is no doubt about itBut with Trent Boult, I don’t think there is any ambiguity; he has to be releasedI can let go of Keshav Maharaj as well because they wouldn’t want both Santner and KeshavBut, again, let’s see if Hardik goes; who comes in his place.”
Aakash Chopra explained why Mumbai Indians’ decision on keeping and releasing players depend on the possible Hardik Pandya trade“If everything had gone well last season, looking at their team, you feel like, ‘Why change anything at all?’ They have the balance, they have the experience, they have the explosivenessSo why change? Maybe they need an Indian spinner or an Indian fast bowler, which they will findBut that’s all that they needed to do.”
“But then the major talk of the town is the trade of Hardik PandyaThat is where it is going to start for MI in terms of their decision-making on retentions and releases because you don’t usually find a player like thatBut what if, in his place, you get two?”
Abhinav Mukund explained why Mumbai Indians need an Indian wicketkeeper in their team“If he does go to another side, I would think it should be a win-win for all parties involvedIf you’re talking about Mumbai Indians, the only thing, according to me, that was missing was an Indian wicketkeeper in thereThat was a big miss for them because, in their top seven, they had to play either Ryan Rickelton or Quinton de Kock.”
“I know Rickelton is in great form, but that pushes Tilak down; it doesn’t give you the option to play both Sherfane Rutherford and Will JacksSo, it was a bit of a confusing scenario to fit in an overseas spinner plus an overseas wicketkeeper within the quota of four overseas playersDoes that solve the problem if Hardik Pandya goes out?”
