Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia has confirmed that Shreyas Iyer will continue leading the franchise despite the high-profile arrival of Hardik Pandya from Mumbai Indians in a blockbuster Indian Premier League (IPL) trade involving Arshdeep Singh.
Wadia made it clear that Punjab views Hardik as a long-term addition to its squad rather than a short-term signing, with no plans to change the existing captaincy arrangement.
“We are keen to obviously keep him for as long as we can,” Wadia told Sportstar on Wednesday.
“Shreyas is the captain, without doubt. Unequivocally, Hardik also knows that. In fact, that was never discussed at all…”
The trade, which sees Arshdeep move to Mumbai Indians, was driven primarily by cricketing considerations. Wadia revealed that Mumbai initiated discussions, while Punjab head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas supported the move.
“This deal, basically, I think is more from a cricketing perspective,” Wadia said.
“Shreyas and Ricky are very happy and were keen to make it happen. Mumbai was keen to trade Hardik, and they wanted Arshdeep, and we weighed the options and we thought it was a good option,” he added.
However, Wadia admitted that releasing Arshdeep was an emotional decision, given the left-arm pacer’s development into an established international cricketer during his time with Punjab.
“I think it was very difficult for us to let go of Arshdeep,” he said, expressing pride in the bowler’s achievements.
Punjab believes Hardik’s all-round capabilities, IPL-winning experience and leadership qualities will strengthen its championship ambitions.
“Hardik comes in with a lot of experience. He has won multiple IPL titles, several ICC trophies. And he is a premier all-rounder in the world. And he’s been a phenomenal T20 player,” Wadia said.
The franchise also expects Hardik to provide greater batting depth in an increasingly high-scoring T20 environment.
Wadia believes the 2022 IPL-winning Gujarat Titans captain will benefit from reuniting with Ponting and playing alongside Shreyas.
“I think Hardik is happy coming, to be with Ricky, most importantly,” he said.
Both players are valued at Rs 18 crore for the upcoming season, and Wadia described the agreement as beneficial to both franchises.
Calling it the biggest trade in IPL history, Wadia acknowledged that negotiations involving two major Indian stars were challenging.
With the mega-auction approaching next year, Punjab will now assess its squad requirements, particularly the bowling department following Arshdeep’s departure.
For Punjab Kings, Hardik’s arrival represents a major move towards securing an elusive IPL championship, while Shreyas remains firmly in charge of the team.
