"It's Not Often You Get A Player Like Hardik Pandya": Punjab Kings Co-Owner Explains Arshdeep Singh Trade Call

Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman believes the Indian Premier League (IPL) should have a long enough window to allow every team to play each other twice on a home-and-away basis. Under the current format, each franchise plays 14 league matches, but not every team faces all opponents twice during the season. The number of matches is expected to increase from 74 to 94 in the next media rights cycle, beginning in 2028. Amid the ongoing debate over a potential change in the IPL window, Burman said the immediate priority should be creating a format in which every team plays all others home and away.

"The IPL has to become longer so that all 10 teams play each other home and away. There are several factors to consider when discussing the IPL window - the international cricket calendar, player availability, weather conditions, broadcasters and, of course, the fans.

"The current window has worked extremely well for the league, but I'm sure the BCCI will continue evaluating what is best for the tournament," Burman told PTI.

KKR co-owner Juhi Chawla recently suggested moving the IPL window to January instead of its traditional late-March start.

Burman also believes the league should not expand beyond its current 10 teams until the competition schedule allows every side to meet each other twice.

"There should be no more new teams until the window is long enough for every team to play each other home and away," he said.

'It's Not Often You Get A Player Like Hardik'

Discussing the IPL's biggest trade deal, Burman said signing Hardik Pandya aligned with Punjab Kings' ambition of winning the title. In return, the franchise parted ways with star pacer Arshdeep Singh, who joined Mumbai Indians.

"It's not often that you get an opportunity to bring in a player like Hardik Pandya. He's one of the finest all-rounders in world cricket, someone who can change the course of a match with both bat and ball."

"He also brings leadership, experience and the ability to perform in pressure situations."

"For us, it was about adding another dimension to an already strong squad. We reached the final in 2025, and our ambition is to take that next step and win the title. Hardik gives us greater balance and flexibility, and that's extremely valuable in T20 cricket," Burman said.

Asked how long it took to complete the deal with Mumbai Indians, Burman said negotiations were not completed overnight.

"These things don't happen overnight. For us, the opportunity to bring in a player of Hardik's calibre was extremely exciting. He's a proven match-winner, a leader and someone who brings enormous value to the side.

"The management was closely involved in the discussions, and ultimately we felt this was a move that made sense for Punjab Kings and our ambitions going forward."

"We have always maintained that we want to build a team capable of winning the IPL, and every decision we make has to be aligned with that objective," he added.

Burman Sees Hardik-Shreyas Partnership As A Strength

Burman dismissed concerns over former IPL-winning captain Hardik playing under Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer.

"I don't see that as an issue at all. In fact, I see it as a huge advantage."

"Shreyas has done an outstanding job leading Punjab Kings, and taking us to the final in 2025 was a significant achievement."

"Hardik brings his own experience of captaining teams and winning championships. Having two strong cricketing minds in the dressing room can only benefit the franchise."

"Ultimately, they are both professionals who understand that the team comes first. Both are T20 specialists, share a great camaraderie and complement each other by bringing different perspectives and strengths to the team," Burman said.

'Letting Arshdeep Go Was Extremely Tough'

Burman admitted that parting ways with Arshdeep was one of the most difficult decisions the franchise has made.

"It was extremely tough. Arshdeep has been a very important part of Punjab Kings, and we've seen him grow into one of the finest fast bowlers in the country."

"He's a Punjab boy, he's loved by our fans and he will always have a special place in this franchise. He was with us for the last eight seasons. But in sport, you sometimes have to make difficult decisions," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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