R Ashwin’s Cryptic Post Fuels Hardik Pandya’s CSK Trade Rumours: “07:07”

Hardik Pandya could be on his way out of Mumbai Indians after a disastrous outing in the Indian Premier League in IPL 2026. While MI finished ninth in the points table, Hardik also had a challenging campaign, even from an individual standpoint, scoring just 146 runs in 8 innings and taking only 3 wickets. Recently, the MI captain’s Instagram story fueled rumours of his exit from the franchise, with fans hinting that a move to CSK could be on the cards for the star all-rounder.

In the picture posted on his Instagram story, there was a laptop where a film was playing, a notebook, a pen and his mobile phone. However, what caught the attention of fans was the time displayed on the phone screen. The time showed ’07:07′ and it did not take the internet much time to connect it to MS Dhoni.

Reacting to a recent post from a fan who asked whether CSK should re-sign pacer Matheesha Pathirana if the Kolkata Knight Riders decide to release the Sri Lankan, former India cricketer R Ashwin dropped a cryptic message. The veteran spinner hinted at the specific players the franchise should target to bolster their squad next season.

While doubling down on Pathirana’s retention, Ashwin also suggested the names of England Test captain Ben Stokes and a mystery player labeled “07:07.” Fans were incredibly quick to link the cryptic player to Hardik, referring to the all-rounder’s recent Instagram post.

Hardik had rejoined MI ahead of IPL 2024 after an all-cash trade deal with Gujarat Titans, a franchise he had led to the title in 2022.

However, since his return to Mumbai, the powerhouse franchise has failed to qualify for the playoffs in two of his three seasons at the helm, including a dismal ninth-place finish in the 2026 edition.

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