Punjab Kings acquired flamboyant all-rounder Hardik Pandya from Mumbai Indians at an increased fee of Rs 18 crore, marking a historic Indian Premier League player trade.
Mumbai Indians received premier pacer Arshdeep Singh in exchange for Pandya. The IPL confirmed that Arshdeep made the move at his existing fee of Rs 18 crore.
This massive trade follows another blockbuster deal this season. Chennai Super Kings acquired Sanju Samson for Rs 18 crore, sending Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals.
Pandya ends his second stint with Mumbai, a franchise where he previously won four IPL titles. He was a central figure during their victorious campaigns in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
The 33-year-old had joined Gujarat Titans in 2022 for Rs 15 crore. He led them to the title in their debut season and reached the final again in 2023.
Pandya returned to Mumbai as captain in 2024, replacing stalwart Rohit Sharma. However, the team struggled on the field, and friction grew within the squad over the leadership change.
Fans initially booed Pandya, and reports of dressing room dissension surfaced over three seasons. Senior players like Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav had reportedly felt bypassed for captaincy.
Mumbai won just four of their 14 matches this past season. Pandya skipped the closing stages of the tournament due to persistent fitness concerns.
Speculation suggests Rohit Sharma will return to lead Mumbai for his final season. The management will likely name young batter Tilak Varma as his deputy and eventual successor.
Despite recent struggles, Pandya remains an elite all-rounder. Across 162 IPL matches, he has scored 2,955 runs at a 146.28 strike rate and captured 82 wickets.
Arshdeep leaves Punjab after eight seasons as their all-time leading wicket-taker. The left-arm fast bowler made his league debut in 2019 and established himself as a top-tier bowler.
The 27-year-old took 111 wickets in 96 matches for Punjab. He took 21 wickets in the 2025 season and added 14 more wickets during this year’s edition.
Arshdeep also stands as India’s leading wicket-taker in international T20 cricket. He has claimed 151 wickets in 104 matches for the national team, bolstering Mumbai’s pace attack significantly.
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