Ravichandran Ashwin has backed Hardik Pandya to make a return to Gujarat Titans ahead of the 2027 IPL season.
Recent reports suggested that talks between Pandya and GT had stalled. The all-rounder reportedly contacted the franchise about a possible move. However, discussions did not progress over his demand for the captaincy role.
Ashwin still believes a reunion is possible. He pointed to Pandya’s successful spell with Gujarat Titans as a major reason.
“It’s not a bad thing that Hardik has reached out to GT. He really enjoyed his time there and the best phase of his career came at GT, be it batting or captaincy. I still have a hunch that he’ll go to GT,” Ashwin said, speaking on his YouTube channel.
Pandya led Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in their debut season in 2022. He also guided the team to the final in 2023. Those two seasons were among the best phases of his IPL career.
Ashwin says GT can be a happy place for Pandya
Pandya later returned to Mumbai Indians. However, MI endured a difficult 2026 season. They finished ninth after winning only four of their 14 matches.
Ashwin believes a move back to Gujarat could help Pandya regain his best form. He also feels the player could be motivated to prove himself again.
“Hardik can really find a happy place to go back if MI trade him to GT and they get a good package in return. He has had happy memories with GT. He might even want to prove a point that despite not winning with MI this time, he can win again with GT. That tenacity and fight are what define a cricketer,” Ashwin said.
However, Ashwin does not expect Pandya to become captain. Shubman Gill has led Gujarat Titans for the last two seasons.
“GT is a great place for him to go to, given that it’s a good batting wicket there and he has had great memories there. The team is also very good, with Shubman Gill captaining very well the last two years. So I don’t think he’ll get the captaincy. But if given an opportunity, Hardik should consider going back to GT, and I feel there is a good chance of it happening,” Ashwin said.
Pandya has also been linked with other franchises. These include Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. However, Ashwin believes Gujarat remains his most likely destination.:::
