Fact Check: Did Hardik Pandya Meet Dinesh Karthik & Andy Flower To Discuss RCB Trade?

A picture of Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya at a restaurant with Dinesh Karthik and RCB head coach Andy Flower has gone viral on social media. The picture comes days after RCB sealed back to back IPL titles, prompting netizens to think whether Hardik and DK, once India teammates, were discussing a trade. As per reports, Pandya is on his way out of MI after three difficult seasons.

So is Hardik joining RCB?

There is no evidence that the meeting, purportedly in Ahmedabad, was related to an IPL trade, transfer, or contract negotiations. RCB played the IPL final on May 31 in Ahmedabad and were in the city on June 1 for celebrations before disbursing. For Hardik, Ahmedabad is his home bas. However, neither Pandya, RCB, nor Mumbai Indians have issued any statement linking the dinner to player movement.

In fact, the image appears to be AI generated with several netizens already pointing out why. For starters, Hardik's hairstyle has a marked difference from the last time he featured for Mumbai Indians. Also, Hardik's girlfriend Mahieka Sharma had posted pictures from their getaway in France on the day his supposed meeting with Dinesh Karthik. Hardik had departed from Mumbai, after this team's final IPL 2026 game on May 24.

Regardless, Hardik Pandya's time as Mumbai Indians captain is coming to close. The writing was on the wall for the Indian all-rounder after the franchise failed to reach the IPL 2026 playoffs. MI have failed to make it to the top 4 in two of 3 seasons under Pandya's leadership and the franchise are opting for a change.

Hardik reportedly conveyed to the Mumbai management that he was on his way out after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs. Pandya himself has fuelled rumours of a trade to CSK, and it could be an interesting off season. Whether RCB come into the picture for the India all-rounder remains to be seen.