IPL: Hardik Pandya set for ‘demotion’ as honeymoon with MI nears end

• Mumbai Indians edge towards a possible Hardik Pandya trade with Punjab Kings ahead of the 17 November retention deadline.

• Arshdeep Singh and Vishnu Vinod could move to Mumbai, while Hardik is expected to join Punjab as a player under Shreyas Iyer.

• Punjab could explore a separate deal with Lucknow Super Giants for Mohsin Khan involving Marcus Stoinis.

The future of Hardik Pandya in IPL 2027 has been grabbing eyeballs as the 17 November retention deadline approaches. It is increasingly likely that the two-time T20 World Cup-winning all-rounder will be released by Mumbai Indians as part of their reset exercise, with the management reportedly closing in on a trade deal with Punjab Kings.

Speculation over Hardik’s next move has been gathering momentum for some time, with it becoming increasingly apparent that the powers-that-be are keen to hand the reins back to Rohit Sharma. Whether this is a short-sighted move to fall back on their most successful captain, who will turn 40 next year, remains debatable. But the IPL ecosystem often makes for strange bedfellows.

Hardik’s three-year reign as captain, beginning in 2024 after Rohit was unceremoniously replaced, has yielded only modest success, with the famed camaraderie of the Mumbai Paltan showing signs of strain. While Mumbai managed to reach the play-offs in 2025, they finished at the bottom of the table in 2024 and ninth in 2026, with Hardik’s decisions repeatedly coming under scrutiny.

If the proposed swap deal with Punjab Kings goes through, with India’s leading T20I wicket-taker Arshdeep Singh and wicketkeeper-batter Vishnu Vinod moving to the five-time champions, it could offer an honourable escape route for Hardik. He was adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) when India ended their prolonged ICC trophy drought by winning the T20 World Cup in 2024.

However, should he eventually switch to the Punjab franchise, it is almost certain that Hardik will join as a player rather than captain. Punjab are unlikely to tinker with the leadership role of Shreyas Iyer, with the sarpanch now at the helm of India's T20 team.

According to IPL insiders, negotiations between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings have advanced considerably, with senior management understood to have agreed to the proposed exchange.

Coached by Ricky Ponting, Punjab are keen to bring in an experienced all-rounder, even if it means parting ways with Arshdeep, their leading fast bowler. Arshdeep, India's highest wicket-taker in T20Is, was retained ahead of the 2025 season through the Right to Match (RTM) card for Rs 18 crore (Dh 6.96 million), after Sunrisers Hyderabad raised the bidding.

Trade negotiations in the IPL, incidentally, are often far from transparent. No definitive figure for Hardik's move from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians in 2024 has emerged. The official transfer fee received by Gujarat Titans was reported to be Rs 15 crore, although industry sources suggest that the all-rounder could have benefited considerably more.

Mumbai had also explored trading Hardik with at least three franchises. At one stage, Kolkata Knight Riders appeared to be the frontrunners, with the three-time champions looking for a leader after Ajinkya Rahane served as their default captain over the past two seasons. KKR named Rinku Singh their vice-captain last season, although the decision was seen more as recognition of his seniority within the franchise.

Chennai Super Kings were also considered a possible destination, but the deal could eventually be sealed between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings.

Arshdeep's potential departure could trigger another move by Punjab, who may approach Lucknow Super Giants for left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan in a deal involving Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis.

Meanwhile, the IPL auction is returning to India after a gap of three years, with Goa set to host it on 16 December.