Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer has opened up on the Mumbai Indians (MI) veteran all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s trade ahead of the IPL 2027 mini-auction. Notably, Hardik is looking for a new team ahead of the new season.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Jaffer has reckoned that Pandya’s performances should have been better, adding that his last three years’ performances have been very poor. He also emphasised that it all depends on the MI think tank team’s final decision.
“A player like Hardik Pandya is someone you would never want to lose. However, I think his performances should have been better. Considering the expectations we have from Hardik Pandya, his performances have not been as good as expected. So, I think it depends on MI and what their thought process is. Will they continue with him?” Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.
“Because the last three years have been very poor in terms of performance. Under Hardik’s captaincy, his own performances have also not been that outstanding. So, I think it all depends on what the Mumbai Indians’ think tank and their owners think. Everything depends on them,” he added.
Pandya’s tenure as MI captain from 2024 to 2026 was marked by immense early controversy, following his return from Gujarat Titans and his takeover from long-time captain Rohit Sharma. In IPL 2024, MI ended with the wooden spoon. In IPL 2025, they suffered a defeat in Qualifier 2 to bow out.
“The first thing I feel is that perhaps the captaincy has not been very successful for him. So, will Mumbai Indians retain him as captain or remove him? And if they remove him, will Hardik Pandya take it in his stride? That is one thing you will have to look at. Obviously, a player like Hardik Pandya is someone that any team or franchise would absolutely want. Whether it is CSK, GT, KKR, or any other team, every franchise wants a player like Hardik Pandya who can bat at No. 4 or No. 5, bowl three to four overs, and is a clutch player. If he goes to any franchise, he has the ability to win three to four matches for you,” he concluded.
