In one of the most high-profile trades in the IPL history, Hardik Pandya is set to be swapped with Arshdeep Singh, with the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) having exchanged Expressions of Interest (EoIs), a routine procedure to be made by franchises as necessitated by the BCCI and IPL.
As per Cricbuzz, both Hardik and Arshdeep have “consented to the trade, which is expected to be formally confirmed by the BCCI shortly.”
For Arshdeep, this is his first time being traded: he made his IPL debut for Punjab in IPL 2019 and has been with the franchise since, playing 96 games and picking up 111 wickets.
MI are keen on this trade and would believe themselves to benefit from it: both Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar had forgettable seasons in IPL 2026, and both are expected to be released by MI, while Shardul Thakur’s place in the squad too is under threat.
With Bumrah having an off-season, MI finished in the 9th spot. Arshdeep, who already is a two-time T20 World Cup winner with Bumrah, would complement the senior pacer very well, especially at the Wankhede Stadium, where he’s claimed 15 wickets in 9 IPL matches at an economy of 7.32.
What about Hardik Pandya?
This is the second instance that Hardik is involved in the trade window, having returned to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2024 from Gujarat Titans (GT) in an all-cash deal.
Hardik’s captaincy at MI and his authority in commanding the dressing room have been under criticism, with many believing in the presence of a rift among the senior players.
Under Hardik across the last seasons, MI won only 15 games and lost 24; Pandya’s win/loss ratio of 0.625 as the Mumbai Indians skipper is the worst as a captain of a team in the IPL among those who led a side in at least 30 games. Comparatively, Hardik captained GT to 22 wins and only 9 losses, with one trophy and one runners-up finish.
Pandya, however, might have to drop his captaincy ambitions upon joining PBKS.
Will Hardik Pandya Replace Shreyas Iyer As PBKS Captain After Being Traded From MI?
Pandya is “unlikely” to replace Shreyas as the PBKS captain. Cricbuzz stated,
“For Pandya, the move would mean stepping away from a leadership role he has held for the last five years.”
“Iyer has been firmly established as the leader of the (PBKS) side over the last two seasons, with his performances also earning him the India captaincy. That leaves little room for another leadership role in the setup.”
It would perhaps be for his best that Pandya wouldn’t have the captaincy pressure at PBKS: his performances in the IPL since joining MI have been underwhelming, while his fitness is always under a cautious cloud.
In the last three IPL seasons, Hardik averaged 21 and had a strike rate of 147 with not a single half-century – disappointing numbers considering the batting heights that have been touched; with the ball, he’s operated in all phases and took 29 wickets in 39 games while conceding at 10.54 runs per over.
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram
