New Delhi: Punjab Kings (PBKS) have edged ahead in the race to secure Hardik Pandya via a trade deal with Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the November 17 retention deadline for the 2027 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
IANS understands that apart from PBKS, who have been very aggressive in vying for Pandya, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have also been in the running to acquire the premier seam-bowling all-rounder.
“Yes, this is true that as of now, Punjab Kings have their noses ahead to get Pandya. If all falls in place, as per the verbal discussions between the top management of the two teams, the formal paperwork to complete Pandya’s trade can start soon, and then the approval from the IPL officials will be sought,” a source tracking the development told IANS Tuesday.
Under the proposed swap, IANS understands that if Pandya goes to PBKS, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh and wicketkeeper-batter Vishnu Vinod are likely to head to MI. Arshdeep is currently in New Zealand, where he is part of India’s fast-bowling attack in the five-match ODI series that starts in Auckland on Wednesday.
Vinod, meanwhile, was part of the MI set-up in IPL 2023 and played four games for them. PBKS’s rivals in the race to get Pandya’s services have appeared to fall behind. KKR, who need a new captain after Ajinkya Rahane’s retirement, reached an advanced stage in talks with MI over Pandya’s trade.
But three-time winners KKR were not willing to part with their core players, and the talks did not result in a deal. RR, the inaugural edition winners, have also been keen to get Pandya by offering to send Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravi Bishnoi to MI in exchange, but there has not been much progress. LSG’s attempts to get Pandya did not make much headway. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were also said to have shown early interest, but it did not develop further.
If the MI-PBKS trade goes through, the Shreyas Iyer-led side will gain an all-rounder in Pandya who is capable of winning games with both bat and ball. MI, on their part, would get a marquee Indian left-arm fast bowler who can bowl in all phases, as well as add another Indian wicketkeeping option.
“If somehow the MI-PBKS trade talks don’t materialise, Pandya will not mind playing another year at MI, possibly under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, before the mega auction happens next year,” another source tracking the deal told IANS.
It is also understood that if the Pandya deal is done, PBKS are looking to add left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan in exchange for Australia’s seam-bowling all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, whose role could shrink with his addition to the set-up.
Pandya, a member of India’s 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cups, led Gujarat Titans (GT) to the IPL title in 2022 during a successful two-season stint before returning to MI in an all-cash trade ahead of IPL 2024. His three seasons as MI captain brought little success. MI, the five-time champions, finished fourth in 2025, but were at the bottom of the points table in 2024 and ended at ninth spot in 2026.
Pandya’s fitness, though, remains a concern. He has not played competitive cricket since IPL 2026 due to a series of injuries, the most recent being a shin problem that kept him out of India A’s one-day series against Australia A in Puducherry in October.
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