Just days after the curtains fell on a disastrous IPL 2026 season for both Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, social media has ignited fresh controversy in the cricket world.
Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya and young batting sensation Tilak Varma have unfollowed each other on Instagram, while Rishabh Pant has done the same with LSG.
The unfollow drama comes on the heels of Mumbai Indians finishing second-last in the league standings under Hardik's captaincy, while LSG ended rock-bottom for the second consecutive season. Fans are now questioning whether deep rifts within the MI dressing room - exposed by a string of high-profile unfollows - are accelerating a major shake-up ahead of the IPL 2027 mega auction.
Hardik Pandya has unfollowed not
just Tilak Varma but also Mumbai Indians skipper-in-waiting Suryakumar Yadav and senior statesman Rohit Sharma. In a reciprocal move that has raised eyebrows across the cricketing fraternity, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav have unfollowed Hardik as well. This mutual digital distancing follows MI's early playoff exit and comes after Hardik had briefly unfollowed the official MI account before refollowing it.
The timing is particularly telling. Hardik, who battled fitness issues including back spasms that sidelined him for key matches, faced mounting criticism for MI's below-par campaign.
On the other side of the divide, Rishabh Pant stepped down as LSG captain just last week after the franchise finished 10th with a dismal win record. Pant, acquired for a record ₹27 crore in the 2025 auction, had been under pressure following back-to-back league-stage exits. LSG's official statement confirmed they accepted his request to relinquish captaincy "with immediate effect.
Will Hardik-Rishabh be part of a Trade Deal?
MI are actively scouting for an elite Indian wicketkeeper-batter - a role Pant fits perfectly. Trade whispers have intensified around a potential straight swap: Pant heading to Mumbai Indians in exchange for Hardik Pandya moving to LSG, where he could reclaim a leadership role. Other franchises like Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and even Chennai Super Kings have been linked to both players, but the LSG-MI axis remains the hottest speculation.
Hardik "has had enough at MI and is open to a fresh start, while Pant is equally seeking a new challenge after the captaincy burden weighed on his performances. The unfollow saga has only amplified the narrative of dressing-room discord at MI, while the Lucknow adventure seems over for Pant.
