The auction for the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) could take place towards the end of this year. Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, there is speculation about certain players switching teams. Reports suggest that big names like Sanju Samson and Ravichandran Ashwin might be on the move. Currently, Sanju Samson is part of Rajasthan Royals (RR), while Ravichandran Ashwin plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
It’s worth noting that the trade window for the IPL 2026 season has already opened. Through this window, franchises can exchange players both before and after the mega auction. The trade window opens a month after the conclusion of the IPL season and remains active until one week before the auction.
After the auction, the trade window reopens and stays active until a month before the start of the season. Every trade requires approval from the IPL Governing Council.
How do player trades happen in the IPL?
- Player for Player: In this type of trade, franchises swap players with each other. For example, in 2019, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) traded Shikhar Dhawan to Delhi Capitals (DC) in exchange for Abhishek Sharma and two other players.
- Player for Cash: In this case, the franchise trading a player receives money in return. For instance, ahead of IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) traded Cameron Green to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for ₹17.5 crore. This amount was added to MI’s purse, and they later used ₹15 crore to bring Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans (GT) through a trade.
Why do franchises trade players?
One major reason for player trades in the IPL is financial gain. In some cases, franchises can earn more through trades than they might in an auction. For example, Mumbai Indians sold Cameron Green to RCB for ₹17.5 crore and brought in Hardik Pandya for ₹15 crore, effectively making a profit of ₹2.5 crore. Teams also trade players to improve their squad balance.
Some of the biggest IPL trade deals so far:
- 2024: Hardik Pandya moved from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians
- 2024: Cameron Green moved from Mumbai Indians to RCB
- 2012: Kevin Pietersen moved from Deccan Chargers to Delhi Daredevils
- 2016: KL Rahul moved from Sunrisers Hyderabad to RCB
- 2020: Ravichandran Ashwin moved from Punjab Kings to Delhi Capitals
Now, ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, this trade window could again witness some surprising deals. All 10 franchises are already engaging in behind-the-scenes discussions to strengthen their squads for the upcoming season.