The IPL 2027 mini-auction is scheduled to be held in Goa on December 16.
Former South African skipper Faf Du Plessis has predicted new captains for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2027 season.
LSG have traded away their IPL 2026 captain Rishabh Pant to DC in a direct high-profile swap that brought local spinner Kuldeep Yadav to Lucknow. Pant returned to Delhi for a revised fee of Rs 15 crore, leaving LSG actively searching for a new leader.
While Ajinkya Rahane led KKR during the 2026 season, his sudden retirement from all forms of cricket has forced the three-time champions back into the market to identify a brand-new captaincy candidate.
Speculation remains high regarding MI skipper Hardik Pandya. Reports suggest multiple franchises—most notably Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a potential swap deal for Arshdeep Singh, as well as KKR looking for a leader—are exploring trade possibilities before the retention window closes on November 17.
In a video on Cricinfo, du Plessis threw his weight behind Aiden Markram or Mitchell Marsh for the captaincy role at LSG.
He tipped local favorite Rinku Singh to lead KKR besides suggesting that Hardik could take charge if a high-profile trade materializes.
In case Hardik part ways with MI, Faf anticipates the five-time champions going back to veteran Rohit Sharma or passing the torch to pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
According to reports, PBKS are in advanced negotiations to secure Hardik Pandya via a marquee swap deal with MI ahead of the November 17 retention deadline.
To finalize the deal, the Ricky Ponting-coached franchise is expected to trade India’s premier left-arm pacer Arshdeep and wicketkeeper-batter Vishnu Vinod to MI.
"Yes, this is true that as of now, Punjab Kings have their noses ahead to get Pandya. If all falls in place, as per the verbal discussions between the top management of the two teams, the formal paperwork to complete Pandya's trade can start soon and then the approval from the IPL officials will be sought," a source tracking the development told IANS.
For MI, gaining a premier death-overs specialist like Arshdeep to partner alongside Jasprit Bumrah addresses a major pace-depth vulnerability. For Punjab, landing an elite Indian fast-bowling all-rounder adds significant balance to their middle order, though it leaves a vacancy in their local bowling spearhead department.
Hardik is expected to join Punjab Kings purely as a core player, with Shreyas Iyer slated to continue leading the squad as captain.