The IPL 2026 marks the 19th edition of the T20 cricket league and the mini auction takes place on December 16 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
This marks the third consecutive overseas auction and second in the UAE since 2024. A total of 173 players were retained, leaving teams with varying purses - Kolkata Knight Riders lead with ₹64.30 crore for 13 slots, while Mumbai Indians have the smallest at ₹2.75 crore for 5 slots. 360 players will head into the auction as the teams look to build strong squads.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, franchises executed strategic trades, reshaping squads with high-profile moves.
IPL 2026 Trades
Ravindra Jadeja, the elite all-rounder renowned for spin bowling, exceptional fielding, and lower-order batting,
shifted from Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals in a major captaincy exchange.
In the opposite direction, Sanju Samson, the aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman and former Rajasthan Royals skipper, joined Chennai Super Kings to provide leadership and explosive batting firepower. Sam Curran also moved from Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals as part of this deal.
Pace and All-Round Reinforcements
Shardul Thakur transferred from Lucknow Super Giants to Mumbai Indians, strengthening their pace unit. Mohammed Shami, a premier new-ball swinger and wicket-taker, went from Sunrisers Hyderabad to Lucknow Super Giants to lead their attack. Arjun Tendulkar swapped from Mumbai Indians to LSG, the first move away from the Paltans for Sachin Tendulkar's son.
In addition to them, Nitish Rana joined Delhi Capitals from Rajasthan Royals, while Donovan Ferreira was roped in by the Royals.
Full List of Traded Players before IPL 2026 Auction
| Player | Nationality | Price (in INR) | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shardul Thakur | India | 2 crore | Lucknow Super Giants | Mumbai Indians |
| Sherfane Rutherford | West Indies | 2.6 crore | Gujarat Titans | Mumbai Indians |
| Ravindra Jadeja | India | 14 crore | Chennai Super Kings | Rajasthan Royals |
| Sanju Samson | India | 18 crore | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings |
| Sam Curran | England | 2.4 crore | Chennai Super Kings | Rajasthan Royals |
| Mohammed Shami | India | 10 crore | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lucknow Super Giants |
| Donovan Ferreira | South Africa | 1 crore | Delhi Capitals | Rajasthan Royals |
| Nitish Rana | India | 4.2 crore | Rajasthan Royals | Delhi Capitals |
| Mayank Markande | India | 30 lakh | Kolkata Knight Riders | Mumbai Indians |
| Arjun Tendulkar | India | 30 lakh | Mumbai Indians | Lucknow Super Giants |
