Punjab Kings Closing In on Hardik Pandya Trade as Arshdeep Singh Heads the Other Way, Sportstar Reports

Punjab Kings are closing in on a trade for Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya ahead of IPL 2027, according to a Sportstar report published on November 3. India left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh and wicketkeeper-batter Vishnu Vinod are likely to move in the opposite direction in the proposed exchange. This is a reported trade, not a done deal. Neither franchise and not the IPL has confirmed it, and no official comment was available when the report appeared.

Senior management at both franchises has all but agreed on the proposed exchange, the report says. The paperwork is expected to be processed by IPL officials, and an announcement could follow later this week, before the November 17 retention deadline. The BCCI extended that deadline from November 15 to November 17 after informing franchises on Monday, CricTracker reported.

How the talks started

The first approach came from a senior Mumbai Indians official, according to the report. Punjab Kings are coached by Ricky Ponting and captained by Shreyas Iyer. Besides Punjab, at least two other franchises held discussions with Mumbai over a possible Pandya trade. Kolkata Knight Riders were the only side whose talks reached a comparable level of seriousness, according to the Sportstar report carried by CricTracker.

What an Arshdeep exit could trigger

Arshdeep's likely departure could lead Punjab to approach Lucknow Super Giants about a swap involving left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan and Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, according to the reports. That second move is also only a reported possibility at this stage, and it depends on the first trade going through.

Arshdeep has already left Punjab and come back once. Punjab released him before the IPL 2025 mega auction, then used the Right to Match card to bring him back after Sunrisers Hyderabad raised their winning bid from Rs 15.75 crore to Rs 18 crore and Punjab matched it. Pandya's listed IPL 2026 batting record with Mumbai was 206 runs in 10 matches at an average of 22.89 and a strike rate of 138.26, with a highest score of 40, according to Sportskeeda.

A familiar route for Pandya

Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians in an all-cash trade from Gujarat Titans before IPL 2024, after leading Gujarat to the title in 2022. A move to Punjab would be another trade for a player who has already made one of the biggest switches in the league. KhelNow and Circle of Cricket carried the same Sportstar based report on November 3, with Circle of Cricket describing senior management as having reportedly agreed on the core terms and documentation as awaiting processing by IPL officials.

Until a franchise or the IPL confirms the paperwork, the move stays where the reports leave it: agreed in principle according to Sportstar, and unconfirmed by everyone who would have to approve it.