Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to be traded to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a blockbuster swap deal that sends left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh to Mumbai Indians (MI).
An IPL source confirmed to PTI that the trade agreement has been reached between the two franchises ahead of the IPL 2027 auction.
However, the deal will require ratification from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) before it is officially confirmed.
The move to Punjab will not bring Hardik back to a captaincy role. Shreyas Iyer has had a highly successful run as the PBKS skipper—leading them to the final in 2025—and will continue to captain the side.
"The trade has been completed. Hardik is going to Punjab Kings and Arshdeep is moving to Mumbai Indians. Hardik is happy to play under Shreyas Iyer," the source said.
"It was the decision of the captain and the coach to trade Hardik for Arshdeep, who has been with Punjab Kings for a very long time and has become the player he is today following his success with the franchise.
"For the owners, it was not an easy decision considering how Arshdeep has risen and performed so well for the franchise. However, the captain and the coach went ahead with this decision, and that is it," he added.
Hardik Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians in the leadership capacity ahead of the IPL 2024 season. However, he was booed at MI's home ground, the Wankhede Stadium, primarily because he replaced the legendary and beloved captain, Rohit Sharma.
The booing intensified as MI struggled on the field, finishing at the very bottom of the points table in 2024. Though the team reached the playoffs in 2025, further struggles in 2026 led to calls for his removal from the captaincy role.
In IPL 2026, MI finished ninth on the 10-team points table with just 4 wins from 14 matches. On a personal front, Hardik endured a below-par IPL 2026 season for MI, scoring 206 runs at an average of 22.89 and a strike rate of 138.25. His impact with the ball was severely limited as he managed to pick up just 4 wickets during the tournament.
Additionally, the all-rounder had to sit out a few crucial games during the latter half of the season, notably dealing with recurring back spasms.
The trade deal paves the way for Arshdeep to partner Jasprit Bumrah in Mumbai's pace attack. However, parting with long-serving pacer and India's top T20I wicket-taker would be a major shift for PBKS.
This blockbuster swap comes well ahead of the revised IPL retention deadline on November 17, giving both teams sufficient time to complete the necessary formalities ahead of the mini-auction scheduled to be held in Goa on December 16.
(With PTI Inputs)
