A viral video of Hardik Pandya having a serious chat with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan has sent IPL 2027 trade rumours soaring after Mumbai Indians’ defeat at Chepauk on May 2. The clip, recorded at the MA Chidambaram Stadium soon after CSK’s 8-wicket win, shows Pandya and Viswanathan involved in a long discussion on the field. The fans started to notice when CSK's captain talked to the team's top executive because Mumbai Indians were experiencing major difficulties in their first nine matches of IPL 2026 which they lost seven times. The biggest rumour on social media points towards a blockbuster trade for IPL 2027, possibly including a swap deal with another CSK player. The CSK CEO spoke with Sanju Samson about the same topic which he discussed with Sanju Samson during IPL 2026 but the wicketkeeper-batter joined CSK through a trade before the current season. Reason behind fans speculating on the Hardik Pandya MI-CSK Trade? The Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya must handle extreme pressure this season because his team performs poorly and fans keep criticizing him. The meeting between these two experts shows that the all-rounder might decide to search for employment opportunities at different organizations. Before the viral moment between Hardik and the CSK CEO, former New Zealand cricketer and commentator Simon Doull said the franchise should release Hardik Pandya before next season. Doull publicly questioned the captaincy situation of the Mumbai Indians. According to him, the franchise needs to release Hardik from his captain role if they want to stop his tenure because their team has performed poorly under his guidance during two consecutive seasons. The continuous discussion about Hardik's position with the five-time IPL champions has existed since his arrival at the team. Doull explained that public perception of Pandya's success would suffer if he remained on the team without his captaincy duties. The remarks made by Simon Doull have led fans to speculate about Hardik Pandya potentially joining CSK. The MI and CSK teams should evaluate three potential trade options which they can use to acquire new players if the trade rumors become verified. Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya Trade: India's top seam-bowling all-rounders include Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube. The two players have contributed essential performances through their batting and bowling skills which helped the national team achieve victories in significant matches. Shivam Dube from CSK power-hitting group showed disappointing performance during IPL 2025 and he has not yet shown any improvement during IPL 2026. People have raised doubts about his ability to finish games because his batting performance declined from 162.30 to 132.22 and 140.19 until the middle of IPL 2026. Shivam Dube who was born in Mumbai can replace Hardik who plays as a lower middle-order batter while he helps both Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir finish their innings successfully. The IPL 2026 salary for Hardik Pandya amounts to INR 16.35 crore while Shivam Dube receives INR 12 crore which creates a salary difference between them. The team plans to add Nathan Ellis from CSK who plays as a pacer with a salary of INR 2 crore to make the trade equal. Ruturaj Gaikwad in return for Hardik: Ruturaj Gaikwad stands as another prominent player who might transfer from CSK to MI through a trade that includes Hardik Pandya. The transfer of Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals to CSK created temporary discussions about leadership changes which would happen before IPL 2026. The fans and experts viewed the decision as part of a sustainable captaincy strategy which would continue after MS Dhoni's departure. Ruturaj Gaikwad remained CSK captain despite the rumors about his leadership. The team faces new challenges after their disappointing performance in the 2025 season which followed their IPL 2026 season. Some fans associate Gaikwad with Mumbai Indians because he belongs to the Maharashtra region. The 27-year-old athlete demonstrates knowledge of MI home ground conditions while maintaining exceptional performance throughout his domestic cricket matches for Maharashtra. Also Read | Watch: Brain fade moment for Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jamie Overton after they leaves Sameer Rizvi's catch in he middle All-cash trade: The Mumbai Indians reacquired Hardik Pandya from the Gujarat Titans before IPL 2023. The five-time champions acquired him through an all-cash trade because Cameron Green departed from the team. The teams might consider an all-cash trade according to current rumors if they choose to proceed with their planned trade arrangement. The Pandya-CSK trade before IPL 2027 exists only as a rumor because no reliable sources have confirmed its existence. Pandya's conversation with the CSK CEO during the post-match interview appeared to be an ordinary exchange. The actual contents of their discussion remain a mystery.