Big trades are rare in the IPL, and a straight swap between two huge names is rarer still. According to reports, the Mumbai Indians and the Punjab Kings have agreed on a deal that sends Hardik Pandya to Punjab and Arshdeep Singh to Mumbai ahead of the IPL 2027 auction. Fans have not stopped talking about it since.
What has been reported?
Hardik is said to be moving to Punjab Kings for a revised fee of Rs 18 crore, up from Rs 16.5 crore. Arshdeep goes the other way, also for Rs 18 crore. Talk of a possible deal began in early November.
The strongest hint so far came from Arshdeep’s father, Darshan. Speaking to journalist Vimal Kumar in New Zealand, where the Indian team is touring, he said the family found out about the trade with some surprise and that the official message had probably arrived by now. That is a careful way to put it, so it is wise to wait for a statement from the franchises or the IPL before treating every detail as final.
A new home for Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep made his IPL debut in 2019 and has played only for Punjab Kings. According to the report, he has taken 111 wickets in 96 matches. If the move goes through, Mumbai will be only his second IPL team, which is a big change for a bowler who has spent his whole IPL career in one dressing room.
Hardik Pandya’s journey so far
Hardik started his IPL career with Mumbai in 2015 and stayed until 2021. He then moved to Gujarat Titans and led them to the title in their very first season in 2022. In 2023 he took them to the final again, where they lost to Chennai Super Kings. He came back to Mumbai through a trade before IPL 2024 and took over as captain.
The return was not smooth. Mumbai finished 10th in 2024 with eight points. They reached the playoffs in 2025 and lost Qualifier 2 to Punjab Kings, then missed out again in 2026, finishing ninth with eight points. Across 162 matches, Hardik has scored 2,955 runs and taken 82 wickets.
There is a small twist here. Punjab Kings are the very team that knocked Mumbai out in 2025, and now they may be the ones getting Hardik. There is no word yet on whether he would lead Punjab, so that is one thing to watch.
What happens next?
The deadline for teams to announce their retained players is November 17, pushed back from November 15. The mini auction is set for December 16 in Goa. Until then, more moves could still come, so this may not be the last big headline.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will enter the new season as defending champions after beating Gujarat Titans in the final on May 31. They are chasing a third title in a row, having also won in 2025 by beating Punjab Kings. If you want to see who took home what from that run, our IPL 2026 prize money breakdown covers the amounts for RCB and GT.
More cricket to follow
It is a busy time for young talent too. Our explainer on who Aaryavir Sehwag is covers Virender Sehwag’s son and his big 160 in the Under-19 Asia Cup. And since Hardik is rarely out of the news, you can also read our profile of Mahieka Sharma – the rumored girlfriend of Hardik Pandya.
For Mumbai, a bowler like Arshdeep could bring fresh energy to the attack. For Punjab, Hardik offers experience and an all-round game. But a lot depends on official confirmation and on what the auction brings. For now, this is one of the biggest talking points of the IPL season, and it is only getting started.