Former India batter Mohammed Kaif thinks Hardik Pandya erred in leaving Gujarat Titans (GT) and has called on the all-rounder to concentrate on regaining his form with Punjab Kings (PBKS) after an underwhelming second stint with Mumbai Indians (MI).
Hardik will join PBKS for Rs 18 crore, up from his earlier salary of Rs 16.35 crore, while Arshdeep will move to MI on his current deal worth Rs 18 crore.
Following seven seasons with Mumbai, Hardik signed with Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2022 and made an instant impression, leading the franchise to the title in its debut season. GT also made the final in 2023 before he went back to MI in 2024 and took charge as captain.
Under his captaincy, Mumbai made the playoffs in IPL 2025 but also ended near the bottom of the table in the 2024 and 2026 seasons.
Mohammad Kaif said that Hardik's emotional bond with Mumbai might have played a part in his choice to leave Gujarat, where he had built himself into a successful captain and a more mature cricketer.
"It was a blunder by Hardik to leave GT. I think it was an emotional call. He had a connection with MI, and maybe that drew him back. It is always a tough call. You made GT champions and were the king there. But that decision hurt him. He went backwards in his performance and captaincy. It would be better for him to forget the second phase with MI as quickly as possible and move forward," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
His second stint with Mumbai turned out to be disappointing. Over three seasons, Hardik scored 647 runs in 39 matches at an average of 21.53 and a strike rate of 147.82, with a top score of 48 not out. He also claimed 29 wickets at an average above 34.
Hardik enjoyed considerable success as captain of Gujarat Titans. In 31 matches as skipper, he scored 833 runs at an average of 37.86 and a strike rate of 133.49, registering six half-centuries and taking 11 wickets.
Kaif is of the view that giving up the captaincy could in the end help Hardik and let him concentrate entirely on his all-round game.
"Many players want captaincy, but not everyone performs well under the pressure that comes with it. It is not everybody's cup of tea, and it is even more difficult in the IPL. It will be good for Hardik that he is not the captain. At PBKS, he should focus on regaining his form as a batter, bowler, and finisher. There is no doubt that he is a great player. Being an all-rounder and a captain at the same time is even more challenging," he added.
Across 162 IPL matches, Hardik has scored 2,955 runs at a strike rate of 146.28 and claimed 82 wickets, highlighting his value as one of the league's premier all-rounders.
