The Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) are reportedly in the last phase of the trade for marquee players Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh as the retention deadline date looms.
The deal seems all but set in stone with both franchises and the players apparently agreeing to this trade.
Hardik’s name had previously been heavily linked with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), more so since CSK parted ways with Stephen Fleming and appointed Zaheer Khan, the former MI director of cricket, as their new head coach. The all-rounder also shares a great bond with CSK legend MS Dhoni.
There were also rumors linking Hardik with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a trade that could see Yashasvi Jaiswal join MI. However, both those potential moves fell off. Now, it is believed that a Hardik-for-Arshdeep swap is likely to get the green signal ahead of the IPL 2027 auction.
Explained: Why Getting Arshdeep Singh Is A Good Trade For Mumbai Indians
Former India opener Kris Srikkanth dissected this potential trade in his YouTube video and what it could mean for both teams’ playing XIIs.
First, Srikkanth pointed out that MI’s bowling was their weaker point in IPL 2026, where they finished 9th in the points table, having acquired only four wins.
An important reason for MI’s failures last season was the poor returns of Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, with both players having their worst IPL season in a long time. However, MI’s bowling frailties came to the fore.
Trent Boult, Shardul Thakur, and Deepak Chahar all had disappointing IPL campaigns, which meant that Bumrah never got the support he needed from the other end while he himself wasn’t at his best with rhythm and fitness.
Thakur had an economy of over 12; Chahar picked up only 8 wickets at 33; and Boult numbers – 2 wickets in 5 matches at an economy of 11.62 – proved that he is well past his prime and most likely will be released by MI.
Arshdeep, on the other hand, has done well in the IPL and has been India’s first-choice pacer over the last four years, with significant contributions in two T20 World Cup-winning campaigns.
Srikkanth said in his YouTube video, “This is a good trade for both sides. Arshdeep Singh didn’t want to be with Punjab and previously went into the auction. For MI, a good opening partner was missing for Bumrah. This will fill that gap. MI will obviously give away an ageing Trent Boult, and Arshdeep will fill in that role.
“Jaiswal would have been a great addition for MI if the trade with RR went through. But the problem is MI didn’t have a reliable left-arm pacer because Boult is over the hill and out. That’s why the trade with PBKS is better for MI than the one with RR.”
Who does the Hardik Pandya – Arshdeep Singh benefit more?
Coming to PBKS, who started off spectacularly in the first half of the season and fell off even more astonishingly in the second half, Srikkanth reckons adding Pandya to the line-up would allow them to do away with the out-of-form Marcus Stoinis, adding more heft to the lower-middle-order with Nehal Wadhera being inconsistent.
“For PBKS, they were looking for a middle-order all-rounder. If they get Hardik, they’ll remove Marcus Stoinis. PBKS will also remove Nehal Wadhera, and Hardik will slot in either for him or Stoinis,” the former India batsman added.
“With Hardik, PBKS will become very strong. Though it helps both sides, it benefits Punjab more,” Srikkanth opined.
If the Hardik-Arshdeep trade does goes through, as it is widely speculated, then an official confirmation from both franchises could be on the way in the upcoming week.
When is the IPL retention deadline day, and when is the IPL auction?
The deadline date for the IPL franchises to announce their list of released and retained players is November 17, while the IPL 2027 auction will be hosted in Goa on December 15.
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.
