In a major Indian Premier League (IPL) trade ahead of the upcoming season, Hardik Pandya has moved from Mumbai Indians (MI) to Punjab Kings (PBKS) for an increased fee of ₹18 crore. In exchange, Mumbai Indians have secured the services of Indian fast bowler Arshdeep Singh for the same amount, as confirmed in an official IPL statement.
According to the announcement, Hardik’s new trade value is higher than his previous fee of ₹16.35 crore. The deal marks the end of his second stint with Mumbai Indians and represents a significant change for both franchises.
Hardik first joined Mumbai in 2015 and became an important part of their successful campaign, winning four IPL titles in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. After spending seven seasons with the franchise, he moved to Gujarat Titans in 2022 for ₹15 crore. He led the newly formed team to the IPL trophy in its debut season before guiding them to another final in 2023.
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The all-rounder returned to Mumbai Indians in 2024 and replaced Rohit Sharma as captain. However, his second stint did not produce the expected results, with the franchise struggling to maintain consistency. Hardik also faced injury concerns and considerable pressure from supporters following his appointment as skipper.
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Although the atmosphere improved during his second season, criticism and reports of dressing-room tensions continued to surround the franchise. Questions were also raised about the leadership situation involving senior players Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, who were not considered for the captaincy.
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Meanwhile, the Hardik-Arshdeep trade follows another major deal involving Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. CSK acquired Sanju Samson for ₹18 crore, while Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran moved to Rajasthan Royals for ₹14 crore and ₹2.4 crore, respectively.
