PBKS Get "The Edge': After Hardik Pandya-Arshdeep Singh Swap, Ex-India Star's Blunt Verdict

In the biggest player trade in IPL history, flamboyant all-rounder Hardik Pandya moved to Punjab Kings from Mumbai Indians for an increased fee of Rs 18 crore, while PBKS traded pacer Arshdeep Singh in exchange for him. This is the costliest player exchange in IPL history. Pandya's existing fee was Rs 16.35 crore. Arshdeep, on the other hand, moved to Mumbai Indians at an unchanged price tag of Rs 18 crore, according to a statement from the IPL. Before this, Chennai Super Kings had acquired Sanju Samson this year for Rs 18 crore from Rajasthan Royals, who received Ravindra Jadeja for Rs 14 crore and Sam Curran for Rs 2.4 crore from CSK.

Former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh said that without the burden of captaincy, Hardik Pandya could become an even more dangerous player. Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia has already made it clear that Shreyas Iyer will continue to lead the franchise.

"It's one of the best trade-offs because these are two outstanding cricketers. With Hardik, fitness is the only issue. If he's fully fit, he's extraordinary. I've always seen Hardik as an incredible player but a poor captain. So, considering he's going to Punjab just as a player, it's a huge plus for them, assuming he's fully fit. Still, if both players are at full fitness, I'll give PBKS the edge because a fully fit Hardik Pandya is a beast. PBKS can easily expect 300 runs and 15 wickets from him now that he's not the captain," Sadagoppan Ramesh said on his Instagram handle.

"This is also strategically a great move for Hardik. He has to get back into the Indian T20I team. And considering Shreyas Iyer is the T20I captain, he'll aggressively back Hardik for Indian selection."

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan believes Hardik Pandya's move to Punjab Kings (PBKS) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2027 season will further strengthen their batting line-up, particularly in the middle and lower order. However, he expressed concerns over the team's bowling resources following the departure of Arshdeep Singh.

After days of speculation and debate, the much-anticipated trade between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) was formally announced on Wednesday.

In a post on X, Irfan Pathan said Hardik Pandya's arrival would further strengthen Punjab Kings' middle and lower-order batting but flagged concerns over their bowling attack, stressing the need to find a replacement for Arshdeep Singh and invest in a quality spinner.

"With this trade of Hardik, Punjab get a really good middle and lower-order power-hitter. Their batting line-up was already strong, but this makes them even stronger in that department. Their bowling is a real concern for me. They not only need to find a replacement for Arshdeep Singh but also need to invest in a good spinner going forward," he said.

Featured Video Of The Day

India Ends CWG Boxing Campaign With Record-Breaking Seven Gold Medals