Hardik-Arshdeep trade: What the rules say about player consent, fitness, fees
Could the players in question have said 'no' to the trade?
The much-publicised trade involving Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh was officially confirmed on Wednesday (November 11), in what is arguably one of the biggest player exchanges in IPL history. The trade, which has come as a surprise to many, is understood to have taken shape following discussions at the highest levels of the two franchises. The players were also consulted, and took some time before giving their consent.
That raises an important question in such transactions: does a player have a say in being traded? The answer is a resounding 'yes'. BCCI regulations make a player's consent mandatory for a trade to go through, although the final decision on making a player available rests with the selling franchise.
The formal process begins with an Expression of Interest (EOI) from the buying franchise to the BCCI. The selling franchise then has 48 hours to confirm whether it is willing to make the player available. If it does, the player is asked to indicate his consent by signing a form provided by the BCCI.
"Provided an EOI Confirmation is sent within the above-mentioned 48 hour window, then the player shall be asked to confirm if he wishes to be traded by signing a form to be provided by the BCCI (a "Consent Form")," the rules state.
The regulations also entitle a player to a share of any increase in his annual fee negotiated as part of the trade. Pandya's annual fee has gone up from INR 16.35 crore to INR 18 crore.
"The Consent Form shall specify the percentage of any increase in the annual League Fee to be negotiated as part of the trade (the "Negotiated Increase") which shall be paid to the Player (the "Player Percentage")," the rules further state.
Another provision lays out the terms of the player's new contract:
"In the Consent Form, the Player will unconditionally agree to sign a new Player Contract with any other Franchisee for his original League Fee plus the agreed Player Percentage of any Negotiated Increase that may be agreed between any buying Franchisee and the selling Franchisee. The selling Franchisee will unconditionally agree to release the Player from his existing contract in return for the agreed Franchisee Percentage of the Negotiated Increase."
Pandya's fitness is another aspect that will have come into consideration, given that he has been out of action since the end of IPL 2026. The regulations address this too, placing the responsibility on the buying franchise to ensure that the player is match-fit at the time of the trade.
"It is the responsibility of the buying Franchisee to ensure that the Player being traded is match fit at the time of the trade. It may require that the Player undergoes a medical examination in advance of the signing of the documents referred to above."
It is not known whether Pandya has undergone a medical examination as part of the process. However, having spent more than five months at the Centre of Excellence (CoE), he is expected to be fit for the IPL, which is still more than three months away.
The rules aside, the move marks another turn in Pandya's fabled IPL chapter. This is the second time in three years that he has been traded. The first, his all-cash transfer from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 season, was completed amid considerable fanfare and is perhaps the only other IPL move of comparable significance.
With the star all-rounder now on the move again, there may be a temptation to view the latest move as an acknowledgement that Mumbai Indians erred in bringing him back from the Titans. But that may not paint the full picture. Another view could even be that Mumbai Indians erred in letting Pandya go in the first place in 2021.
A product of the franchise's scouting and development system, Pandya rose through the ranks at Mumbai Indians, playing a part in four of the five titles the franchise has won till date before being released. That did little to halt his progress, as he went on to enjoy two highly successful seasons with Gujarat Titans, winning another title. Mumbai brought him back two seasons later, but the move did not quite deliver the expected results.
As Pandya leaves Mumbai for a second time, the franchise chose to look back on that longer journey rather than just the last three seasons. "We've seen him grow as a cricketer, make his mark on the world stage and then return to lead the team. His contribution, his energy and the competitive spirit he brings to the field have been valuable to Mumbai Indians.
"I have great respect for him, both as a cricketer and as a person, and wish him nothing but the very best for everything that lies ahead," said Akash Ambani, the MI owner.
