IPL 2027: ‘I am standing behind you,’ Hardik Pandya reacts after joining Punjab Kings
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has shared his first reaction to joining Punjab Kings (PBKS) as part of a blockbuster trade deal with Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of IPL 2027. Pandya joined Punjab Kings for ₹18 crore, with Arshdeep Singh switching to Mumbai Indians for the same amount.
“Sat Sri Akal, ਪੰਜਾਬ (Greetings, Punjab!). My Captain. Shreyas. My Coach. Ricky. My team. All of Punjab. I am standing behind you,” Hardik wrote in a post on his Instagram page.
Punjab Kings will be the Baroda all-rounder’s third IPL franchise. He played for Mumbai Indians from 2015 to 2021 before moving to Gujarat Titans ahead of the 2022 season.
Hardik’s GT success and bittersweet MI return
He led Gujarat Titans to their maiden IPL title in 2022, before helping them reach the final again in 2023. In 2023, however, Gujarat Titans lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final.
Hardik then returned to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2024. However, MI, who haven’t won the IPL since 2020, endured disappointing outcomes under Hardik. The five-time champions finished 10th in IPL 2024, before being knocked out in Qualifier 2 in IPL 2025. MI once again failed to qualify for the IPL playoffs in 2026, finishing eighth.
Punjab Kings, on the other hand, haven’t won the IPL to date despite reaching the final twice. In 2014, Punjab Kings (Then called Kings XI Punjab) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the final.
Eleven years later, in 2025, PBKS, led by Shreyas Iyer, qualified for the final once again, only to lose to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Hardik’s experience will thus be pivotal for Punjab Kings if they are to end their trophy drought in 2027. For Arshdeep, on the other hand, Mumbai Indians will be his second franchise, having played only for Punjab Kings since his IPL debut in 2019.
The deadline for player retention for all 10 teams is 17 November. The date was postponed by two days because the initial date of 15 November clashed with the fifth ODI between New Zealand and India. The IPL 2027 mini-auction will take place in Goa on 16 December.
