Chandigarh: Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has expressed his excitement about joining the Punjab Kings (PBKS). He is very happy to play under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy. He said he stands firmly with his captain Shreyas Iyer, coach Ricky Ponting, and the entire Punjab team.
In one of the biggest player trades in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, former Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya will now play for the Punjab Kings. Meanwhile, 2025 finalists Punjab Kings have traded India’s leading T20I bowler Arshdeep Singh to Mumbai Indians.
Under this trade, Hardik Pandya will join the Punjab Kings for a fee of ₹18 crore (₹18 crore), compared to his previous fee of ₹16.35 crore (₹16.35 crore) with Mumbai Indians. Arshdeep Singh, on the other hand, will join the Mumbai Indians at his current fee of ₹18 crore.
After joining the Punjab Kings, Hardik shared a post on Instagram. In it, he wrote, “Sat Sri Akal, my captain Shreyas. My coach Ricky. My team, the entire Punjab. I stand with you.”
Hardik’s second stint with Mumbai Indians ends
With this trade of Hardik Pandya, his second stint with the Mumbai Indians has ended. He won four IPL titles while playing for this franchise.
Hardik joined the Mumbai Indians for the first time in 2015. Gradually, he became one of the most influential all-rounders in the league. He made significant contributions to the team with both bat and ball. Under his leadership, the Mumbai Indians won IPL titles in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
After spending seven seasons with Mumbai, Hardik joined the Gujarat Titans (GT) in 2022. Here, he assumed the captaincy and led the team to victory in their very first season. Gujarat Titans also reached the finals in 2023.
Following this, Hardik returned to Mumbai Indians in 2024 and was appointed captain.
Regarding Hardik’s IPL career, he has scored 2,955 runs in 162 matches so far. His strike rate is 146.28. He has also taken 82 wickets. These figures make him a highly match-winning all-rounder.
Hardik’s second stint with Mumbai Indians was disappointing
Hardik’s second stint with Mumbai Indians lasted three seasons, but his performance during this period was not as expected.
He scored only 647 runs in 35 innings across 39 matches at an average of 21.53 and a strike rate of 147.82. His highest score during this period was 48 not out. In bowling, he took 29 wickets in 39 matches and also took a five-wicket haul once. His bowling average was over 34.
Under Hardik’s captaincy, Mumbai Indians reached the playoffs in 2025. However, the team finished 9th and last in the 2024 and 2026 seasons, respectively.
Arshdeep Singh leaves Punjab Kings after 8 seasons
On the other hand, Arshdeep Singh will now join Mumbai Indians after spending 8 seasons with Punjab Kings. He made his IPL debut with Punjab Kings in 2019 and quickly established himself as one of the league’s leading left-arm fast bowlers.
Arshdeep has taken a total of 111 wickets in 96 IPL matches. He is the highest wicket-taker in Punjab Kings’ history.
His ability to take early wickets with the new ball and bowl under pressure in the death overs has made him a vital cog in Punjab’s bowling attack. He took 21 wickets in IPL 2025, while he took 14 wickets in the 2026 season.
Arshdeep’s left-arm fast bowling and ability to perform effectively at different stages of the innings are expected to strengthen the Mumbai Indians bowling attack.