Former India batter Subramaniam Badrinath wants the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to target all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes after the below-par performance in IPL 2026. The Men in Yellow didn't make it to the playoffs for the third consecutive season, finishing eighth with just six victories in 14 games.
CSK should trade Shivam Dube, and it will be a dream moment for the team if Hardik and Ben Stokes play for them. CSK will be going for Hardik, but they don't want to reveal anything at the moment," he said. "All the teams except Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad are showing interest in Hardik Pandya. The report suggests that the Mumbai Indians are ready to listen to the offers.
Being a big all-rounder, the best team for Hardik Pandya would be the Kolkata Knight Riders. They need a captain, a senior player, and an all-rounder, making him a complete package for them," he added. KKR have missed the playoff spot for two seasons in a row. Subramaniam Badrinath also created a dream team for CSK for IPL 2027, adding Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes to the squad.
The former CSK player kept two all-rounders in the top seven, with Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma and Dewald Brevis making the cut. Jamie Overton, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed are also part of the line-up, with the legendary wicket-keeper MS Dhoni kept as an impact sub. There was no place for Shivam Dube, whom Badrinath wants to be traded to MI for Hardik. S Badrinath's CSK playing 12 for IPL 2027 Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Hardik Pandya, Ben Stokes, Jamie Overton, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad. Khaleel Ahmed Impact Sub: MS Dhoni