Hardik Pandya could be on his way to Punjab Kings. Reports say Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians are close to a trade. In the deal, Mumbai would get Arshdeep Singh and wicketkeeper-batter Vishnu Vinod. Hardik would go to Punjab. The two teams have not commented yet. The trade window now closes on November 17 after the BCCI extended the deadline.
Hardik has been linked with a move away from Mumbai since IPL 2026 ended. Several teams held talks about him. Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants all showed interest. Earlier, Kolkata were the only team in advanced talks. Mumbai wanted Harshit Rana and Angkrish Raghuvanshi from them, but Kolkata did not want to let both go. Mumbai asked Rajasthan for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravi Bishnoi, but those talks did not go far. Mumbai also asked Chennai for Ayush Mhatre, and Chennai turned it down.
The Punjab deal could set off other moves. The report says Punjab might look at Lucknow’s left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan and offer Marcus Stoinis in return. Punjab could also release players like Marcus Stoinis and Nehal Wadhera before the December 16 mini-auction. If Hardik joins Punjab, he would come in only as a player. Shreyas Iyer would stay as captain.
A source said Mumbai are unlikely to let Hardik go without getting proven core players back. The source also said a lot of trade activity could depend on where Hardik ends up. One deal could lead to several others as teams try to fill the gaps. Hardik has not played since IPL 2026 ended. Reports say he is unlikely to return to competitive cricket before IPL 2027.
IPL 2027 Mini-Auction Set for December 16 in Goa as Teams Face November 17 Retention Deadline
The IPL 2027 mini-auction will be held on December 16 in Goa. Teams now have until November 17 to submit their retention and release lists. The deadline was first set for November 15, but it was pushed back by two days. That original date clashed with the fifth ODI between India and New Zealand.
After the lists come in, the IPL will send the full player pool to the teams. The teams will then pick their shortlists. The final auction list and the order of sets will go out in the week before the auction.
Two trades have already happened. Delhi Capitals brought back their former captain Rishabh Pant from Lucknow Super Giants. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav went the other way. In another deal, Delhi sent fast bowler T Natarajan to Sunrisers Hyderabad for leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari.
The dates for the 2027 season are not final yet. In 2024, when the IPL announced the schedule windows for 2025, 2026 and 2027, it marked March 14 to May 30 for 2027. In September this year, after the BCCI’s AGM, board secretary Devajit Saikia said the tournament could start around the end of March.
This will be the last mini-auction in the current IPL cycle. A mega auction will come before the 2028 season. That mega auction will also start the IPL’s next media rights cycle. The BCCI has not yet released the tender for the new rights. In 2022, the IPL’s media rights sold for Rs 48,390.5 crore, which is about USD 6.2 billion. That makes the IPL one of the most valuable sporting properties in the world.
FAQs
Q. Which players could Mumbai Indians receive in the Hardik Pandya trade?
A. Mumbai Indians could receive Arshdeep Singh and Vishnu Vinod from Punjab Kings.
Q. Which team could Hardik Pandya join?
A. Hardik could move from Mumbai Indians to Punjab Kings.
Q. Will Hardik Pandya become Punjab Kings’ captain?
A. No, Shreyas Iyer is expected to remain the team’s captain.
Q. When is the IPL 2027 mini-auction scheduled?
A. The mini-auction will take place on December 16 in Goa.
Q. When is the deadline for IPL 2027 player retention and releases?
A. Teams must submit their retention and release lists by November 17.
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