Hardik Pandya was traded in by PBKS in lieu of Arshdeep Singh going to MI.
Hardik Pandya had captained MI for three seasons after rejoining the franchise in 2024. MI reached the playoffs only once in Pandya’s captaincy, while his individual performance also declined due to form and fitness issues.
PBKS took a huge decision to bring in Hardik Pandya, who will play under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer and the guidance of head coach Ricky Ponting, and Ness Wadia revealed the thought process behind the whole decision-making.
“He is a world-class player. He has won several trophies, including the IPL and ICC titles. He is a premier all-rounder in the world and brings a lot of experience and wisdom. I think he will be a wonderful asset to the team and, along with (head coach) Ricky (Ponting), will inspire the team and add tremendous value,” Wadia told Cricbuzz about trading in Hardik Pandya.
Wadia was also asked about when the idea of trading Arshdeep Singh to MI and bringing in Hardik Pandya took form and how long it took for the two franchises to finalize the deal.
“Plus or minus a month, perhaps three weeks or a month. I think, from our perspective, it's almost a month now, and we see it as a win. We are happy, and Mumbai, from their perspective, is happy too. Most importantly, while it is sad for us to let Arshdeep go, we are very happy that he has been with us over the last eight years. We have seen him grow from a boy into a leading cricketer, both for our franchise and the nation. We are very happy with all that he has achieved, and I am sure he will achieve even more,” Wadia revealed.
Wadia also spoke about the risk assessment given Hardik Pandya’s injuries and how much time he spends away from the game.
“As I said, I think his experience is invaluable. He is one of the foremost players in T20 cricket. He is great in the field and brings tremendous energy, and we are keen to keep him. From his perspective, too, he has had a difficult last couple of years with injuries and various other issues. I think you will see a reinvigorated Hardik Pandya.
The bowlers are important, but look at the scores—250, 260, 270. You need all-rounders; you need people who can take charge of a game, and he brings so much to us in the lower order as well. He brings that confidence, which will help the rest of the team relax and take some of the pressure off them,” Wadia said about the importance of Pandya as an all-rounder.
Ness Wadia also talked about the difficult decision of letting Arshdeep Singh go, given that he began his IPL career with the Punjab franchise in 2019.
“Very, very difficult. As I said, he is a family man, and he has only played with us. But listen, at the end of the day, he has achieved what he has, and we are just happy that he has reached the level he has. I am sure we wish him all happiness and success. What can I say? Nothing would make us happier. Even though he is going to another franchise, we will always be happy to see him perform,” Wadia said.
He also called Hardik Pandya’s acquisition a long-term one, saying, "Definitely long-term. We all want to win championships, and I think Hardik will come in and help us achieve that goal. This is not a short-term thing; we are not just looking at one year.”
On two big-name players, Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer playing together, Wadia stated, "I think we are just lucky to have two world-class players who have captained the nation, continue to play for the nation, and have done so well. We are fortunate to have both of them.”
Wadia also stated that while PBKS are not in talks for any other players before IPL 2027, anything is possible in the Indian Premier League.
(Cricbuzz inputs)