You must have already heard that the blockbuster trade between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians is complete. Hardik Pandya, one of the world’s leading T20 all-rounders, will now play for Punjab Kings. Arshdeep Singh, India’s leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals, will represent Mumbai Indians.
The deal has raised two big questions. Which team benefits more from this exchange? And has Hardik joined Punjab with the expectation of becoming captain?
The second question is understandable. Hardik was Mumbai Indians’ captain and had previously led Gujarat Titans to an IPL title. When he returned to Mumbai through a trade ahead of IPL 2024, he replaced Rohit Sharma as skipper. Could something similar now happen to Shreyas Iyer at Punjab?
Who Will Be the Punjab Kings Captain After Hardik’s Arrival?
Shreyas Iyer is set to remain the Punjab Kings captain. Hardik is joining as a player, with the available information pointing to no change in Punjab’s leadership.
As per our sources, Hardik is happy to play under Shreyas Iyer as captain.
That means Hardik’s move to Punjab is different from his return to Mumbai. He brings captaincy experience, but that does not mean he has been brought in to take over the team.
There is no confirmed announcement of a captaincy agreement that would remove Iyer and hand the responsibility to Hardik.
Why the Rohit Sharma Comparison Has Come Up
Hardik’s previous trade provides the background to these questions. After leading Gujarat Titans for two seasons, he returned to Mumbai Indians and was appointed captain ahead of IPL 2024.
Rohit, who had led MI to five titles, lost the captaincy. That leadership change naturally makes fans wonder whether another established captain could face a similar situation after Hardik’s arrival.
However, the information available about the Punjab move points to a different arrangement. Hardik has agreed to play under the existing captain. His appointment at Mumbai does not establish that captaincy is a condition of every move he makes.
How Many IPL Seasons Have Hardik and Shreyas Captained?
Hardik has captained in five IPL seasons, while Shreyas has captained in seven, counting seasons through IPL 2026.
| Player | Team | Seasons as captain | Number of seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardik Pandya | Gujarat Titans | 2022, 2023 | 2 |
| Hardik Pandya | Mumbai Indians | 2024, 2025, 2026 | 3 |
| Hardik’s total | 2 franchises | 2022–2026 | 5 |
| Shreyas Iyer | Delhi Daredevils/Delhi Capitals | 2018, 2019, 2020 | 3 |
| Shreyas Iyer | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2022, 2024 | 2 |
| Shreyas Iyer | Punjab Kings | 2025, 2026 | 2 |
| Shreyas’ total | 3 franchises | 7 separate seasons | 7 |
These totals count seasons in which each player actually captained, including partial seasons. Shreyas took over Delhi’s captaincy midway through 2018. He did not captain in IPL 2021, when Rishabh Pant led Delhi, or in 2023, when he missed the season through injury.
Hardik has therefore captained in five consecutive IPL seasons, but Shreyas has more seasons of IPL captaincy overall.
Both have won the title as captain. Hardik led Gujarat to the trophy in 2022 and another final in 2023. Shreyas won with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 and also took Delhi to the 2020 final and Punjab to the 2025 final.
Punjab are retaining a captain with an established record of leading different franchises successfully.
