Discarded Indian batter Hanuma Vihari has opened up on a potential trade between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) involving Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh ahead of the IPL 2027 mini-auction.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Vihari remarked that the ace all-rounder is aiming to get more money by getting back to the IPL 2028 mega auction after being with a new franchise in the IPL 2027 season.
“Another news or sources or rumors is that Hardik Pandya didn’t want to leave Mumbai Indians this year. Because after next year, there is the Mega Auction. Maybe he wanted to go to the Mega Auction, because he knows the kind of limelight he has, and everyone knows how valuable he is. There will be more money at the Mega Auction,” Hanuma Vihari said on his YouTube channel.
“We don’t know whether it is true or not. Unless Hardik Pandya, Mumbai Indians management, Punjab Kings management or any other franchise management makes an announcement, all the rumours are just assumptions. We don’t know exactly what is going to happen. But Hardik to Punjab will most probably happen,” he added.
Further, Vihari delved into the details behind the ‘surprising and shocking’ trade by the Mumbai Indians to get in Arshdeep Singh despite having Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Jasprit Bumrah in their squad.
“Last year, Sanju Samson came to CSK. Ravindra Jadeja went to RR. That was also a big trade. But this is a surprising and shocking trade. Everyone thought Hardik would either go to KKR or CSK. But Mumbai Indians decided that they needed a fast bowler. They decided that they needed Arshdeep Singh. I don’t know why. Because they have Deepak Chahar, but maybe because he is injury-prone. They also have Shardul, but he was hot and cold. Bumrah was not at his best and was not looking fit. His form slowly improved, but it was too late,” he concluded.
