"Hardik made a blunder by leaving GT": Mohammed Kaif after all-rounder's trade from MI to PBKS

After days of speculation and debates, the much-anticipated trade between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) has been completed. While MI have let go of their star all-rounder and multi-time champion Hardik Pandya, the two-time finalists Punjab have traded their homegrown left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh to the other side. Hardik will join PBKS at a fee of Rs 18 crore, up from his existing fee of Rs 16.35 crore, while Arshdeep will join MI at his existing fee of Rs 18 crore.

After seven seasons with Mumbai, Pandya moved to Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of IPL 2022 and made an immediate impact as captain, leading the franchise to the title in its debut season. GT also reached the final in 2023 before Pandya returned to MI in 2024 and took over the captaincy. Across 162 IPL matches, he has scored 2,955 runs at a strike rate of 146.28 and claimed 82 wickets, underlining his value as a proven match-winner.

However, Hardik's second stint with MI spanning three seasons was underwhelming, as he could score only 647 runs in 39 matches and 35 innings at an average of 21.53 and a strike rate of 147.82, with a best score of 48*. He took 29 wickets in 39 matches at an average of over 34, with a five-wicket haul to his name. In the 2025 season, MI did reach the playoffs but finished at the bottom and in 9th place in the 2024 and 2026 seasons, respectively, under Hardik's captaincy.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said that the decision to move back to MI, a franchise which made him a star and with which he had a connection, ended up hurting Hardik, who enjoyed a "king" status at GT as a successful captain and a much more mature cricketer.

"It was a blunder by Hardik to leave GT. I think it was an emotional call. He had a connection with MI, and maybe that drew him back. It is always a tough call. You made GT champions and were the king there. But that decision hurt him. He went backwards in his performance and captaincy. It would be better for him to forget the second part with MI as soon as he can and move forward," said Kaif.

In his 31 matches with GT as a captain, he made 833 runs in 30 innings at an average of 37.86 and a strike rate of 133.49, with six fifties and took 11 wickets at an average of 40.91. While he did lose his explosiveness with the responsibility of the captaincy, the maturity in Hardik's batting was evident as he scored a IPL career-best 487 runs in 14 matches with four fifties in his debut campaign. He led GT to the title once and ended as runners-up in his second season.

Advicing Hardik to focus on regaining his form as a batter, bowler and a finisher, Kaif said that for many players, the pressure of captaincy is too much.

"Many players want captaincy. But a lot of them do not perform well under the pressure of captaincy. It is not everybody's cup of tea. It is even more difficult in the IPL anyway. It will be good for Hardik that he is not captain. At PBKS, he should look to regain his form as a batter, a bowler, and a finisher. There is no doubt that he is a great player. So it is good that he is not the captain. He can focus on his game. Being an all-rounder and a captain is all the more difficult," he said.

Arshdeep, meanwhile, moves to MI after eight seasons with PBKS, the franchise where he made his IPL debut in 2019 and established himself as one of the competitions leading left-arm fast bowlers. With 111 wickets in 96 IPL matches, he is PBKS all-time leading wicket-taker.

Arshdeeps ability to make early breakthroughs with the new ball and deliver under pressure in the death overs has made him a key component of Punjabs bowling attack. He claimed 21 wickets in IPL 2025 and followed that with 14 wickets in the 2026 season. His left-arm pace and ability to deliver across different phases of an innings will add considerable depth to MIs bowling attack. (ANI)