IPL 2026 trades: Ravindra Jadeja joins Rajasthan Royals, Sanju Samson moves to Chennai Super Kings

Ahead of the IPL 2026 retention deadline, eight player trades were confirmed, including Ravindra Jadeja moving to Rajasthan Royals and Sanju Samson joining Chennai Super Kings. Other notable trades involve Sam Curran, Mohammed Shami, Arjun Tendulkar, Nitish Rana, and Donovan Ferreira.

New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises confirmed eight player trades ahead of the 2026 season retention deadline, with Ravindra Jadeja and Sanju Samson grabbing the spotlight. While the all-rounder has been traded to the Rajasthan Royals, the wicketkeeper-batter will now represent the Chennai Super Kings.

Jadeja, who represented CSK for 12 seasons and played over 250 matches, is among the most experienced players in the league. Under the trade agreement, his league fee has been reduced from Rs 18 crore to Rs 14 crore, the IPL confirmed in a release on Saturday.

---

Meanwhile, Samson will represent CSK at his current league fee of Rs 18 crore. With 177 IPL matches to his name, he is also one of the league’s most seasoned players. This will be only his third franchise. Since his IPL debut in 2013, the senior player has mostly played for RR, except for two seasons – 2016 and 2017 – when he played for Delhi Capitals.

England all-rounder Sam Curran will transfer from CSK to RR at his current IPL fee of Rs 2.4 crore after a successful trade. The 27-year-old has participated in 64 IPL matches. RR will be his third franchise, having previously played for Punjab Kings in 2019, 2023, and 2024, as well as for CSK overall seasons.

Veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami will represent Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) following a successful trade from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Shami, the second-highest costly buy for SRH before the IPL 2025 season at Rs 10 crore, will transfer to LSG at the same fee.

The senior pacer has extensive experience, participating in 119 IPL matches with five different teams since his debut in 2013. Prior to joining SRH, Shami was a key member of the Gujarat Titans (GT) and won the Purple Cap in 2023 with 28 wickets in 17 matches. Although he sat out the 2024 season due to injury, he had a significant 2023 campaign, taking 20 wickets and playing a vital role in GT’s championship win.

Leg-spinner Mayank Markande will rejoin the Mumbai Indians (MI) after a successful trade from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). KKR bought Markande for Rs 30 lakh, and he will rejoin MI at the same fee.

Markande started his IPL journey with MI, playing for the franchise in 2018, 2019, and 2022. He later played for Rajasthan Royals in 2021 and Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2023 and 2024. Overall, he has participated in 37 IPL matches and taken 37 wickets.

Bowling all-rounder Arjun Tendulkar will join LSG after being transferred from MI. He will continue to play for LSG at his current fee of Rs 30 lakh. Initially selected by MI at the 2021 IPL auction, he made his debut for the franchise in 2023.

Before the league confirmed the developments, IANS had reported on Thursday about the likelihood of Samson-Jadeja-Curran trades between CSK and RR, as well as about Shami, Tendulkar, and Markande’s trades to their new franchises.

Left-handed batter Nitish Rana will now play for DC after being traded from RR. He will retain his current fee of Rs 4.2 crore, which RR bid for at the auction before the IPL 2025 season. Rana, with over 100 matches under his belt, captained Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023 when Shreyas Iyer was sidelined due to injury.

All-rounder Donovan Ferreira is set to rejoin his first franchise, RR, after a successful trade from DC. According to the transfer deal, his fee has increased from Rs 75 lakh to INR 1 crore.