The Indian Premier League has always been a tournament of unpredictable twists — not just on the field but also during the trade window. The IPL 2026 trade players list is one of the most dramatic ever, featuring superstar swaps, franchise revamps, and strategic shakeups before the retention deadline.
From Ravindra Jadeja’s emotional exit from CSK to Sanju Samson joining the Yellow Army, and Mohammed Shami moving to Lucknow, IPL 2026 has set the tone for a blockbuster season.
In this detailed breakdown, we explore:
- The complete IPL 2026 player trade list
- Retention and release lists for all 10 teams
- Team-wise analysis & auction requirements
- My personal insights on how these moves shape the upcoming season
- What fans can expect in the mega auction
IPL 2026 Trading Window: Summary of All Player Trades
Here is the complete IPL 2026 trade players list:
Major Confirmed Trades for IPL 2026
| Player | From | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ravindra Jadeja | CSK | RR | ₹14 crore |
| Sanju Samson | RR | CSK | ₹18 crore |
| Sam Curran | CSK | RR | ₹2.4 crore |
| Mohammed Shami | SRH | LSG | ₹10 crore |
| Mayank Markande | KKR | MI | ₹30 lakh |
| Arjun Tendulkar | MI | LSG | ₹30 lakh |
| Nitish Rana | RR | DC | ₹4.2 crore |
| Donovan Ferreira | DC | RR | ₹1 crore |
| Shardul Thakur | LSG | MI | ₹2 crore |
| Sherfane Rutherford | GT | MI | ₹2.6 crore |
The Jadeja–Samson Swap Will Define IPL 2026
This is arguably the biggest trade in IPL history since the Gambhir–KKR transfer.
- Jadeja leaving CSK ends a 12-season legacy. For many fans, he was CSK after Dhoni.
- Sanju Samson to CSK is a massive statement that Chennai wants a fresh long-term face.
- RR acquiring Jadeja + Sam Curran completely transforms their all-rounder department.
From a strategic angle:
- CSK gets a proven IPL captain and one of India’s best T20 batters.
- RR adds two utility all-rounders who can win matches single-handedly.
This move alone changes the identity of two teams.
Team-Wise Breakdown: Retentions, Releases & What Each Team Needs (IPL 2026)
Below is the complete team-by-team analysis — crucial for ranking for IPL 2026 trade players list, IPL 2026 retained players, and IPL 2026 auction analysis.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Released
Jadeja (trade), Deepak Hooda, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Pathirana, Sam Curran (trade), Nagarkoti, Tripathi & more.
Retained / Traded In
MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Dube, Brevis, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed & others.
Purse Remaining:
₹43.40 crore
Slots Left:
9 (4 overseas)
Needs
- A world-class overseas all-rounder
- A pace-bowling backup
Personal Take
CSK will go all out for Andre Russell or Cameron Green. Samson + Ruturaj + Dube gives them a dream top order.
Delhi Capitals (DC)
Released
Ferreira (trade), Faf du Plessis, Fraser-McGurk, Nalkande, Mohit Sharma, Atal.
Retained/Traded In
Nitish Rana (trade), KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Stubbs.
Purse Remaining:
₹21.80 crore
Slots Left:
8 (5 overseas)
Needs
- New openers
- Overseas replacements
Personal Take
Letting go of Fraser-McGurk might hurt. They need a fearless opener — Head or Salt could be targets.
Gujarat Titans (GT)
Released
Rutherford (trade), Shanaka, Coetzee, Lomror.
Retained
Gill, Buttler, Rashid Khan, Siraj, Rabada, Sundar.
Purse Remaining:
₹12.90 crore
Slots Left:
5 (4 overseas)
Needs
- A finisher
- One all-rounder
Personal Insight
GT’s bowling looks like a dream. But their finishing looks weak. Could target Rinku Singh if KKR surprisingly releases at auction.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Released
Russell, Nortje, Sakariya, Moeen Ali, de Kock, Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer.
Retained
Rinku Singh, Narine, Powell, Umran Malik, Varun C.
Purse Remaining:
₹64.30 crore
Slots Left:
13 (6 overseas)
Needs
- A wicketkeeper
- An opener
- A high-impact all-rounder
Personal Take
KKR has the largest purse. They will dominate the auction and might steal Maxwell or Livingstone.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
Traded Out
Shardul Thakur, Miller, Bishnoi.
Traded In / Retained
Mohammed Shami, Arjun Tendulkar, Pant, Pooran, Avesh, Markram.
Purse Remaining:
₹22.95 crore
Slots Left:
6 (4 overseas)
Needs
- Spin replacement for Bishnoi
- Middle-order stability
Insight
Shami + Mayank Yadav makes them one of the most lethal pace pairs.
Mumbai Indians (MI)
Traded Out
Arjun Tendulkar.
Traded In
Shardul Thakur, Rutherford, Markande.
Retained
Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar, Bumrah, Hardik, Boult.
Purse Remaining:
₹2.75 crore
Slots Left:
5 (1 overseas)
Needs
Almost none — MI looks complete.
Personal Take
MI won the trade window. Rutherford + Shardul + Markande = superb value buys.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Released
Maxwell, Inglis, Hardie, Jamieson.
Retained
Stoinis, Jansen, Arshdeep, Musheer Khan, Shreyas Iyer, Chahal.
Purse Remaining:
₹11.50 crore
Slots Left:
4
Needs
Just squad backups.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Released
Samson (trade), Rana (trade), Hasaranga, Theekshana, Farooqi.
Traded In
Jadeja, Sam Curran, Donovan Ferreira.
Retained
Jaiswal, Hetmyer, Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Archer.
Purse Remaining:
₹16.05 crore
Slots Left:
9 (1 overseas)
Needs
- A quality spinner
- An experienced pacer
Personal Take
RR now has one of the strongest all-rounder groups in IPL 2026.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
Released
Livingstone, Mayank Agarwal, Ngidi.
Retained
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar, Tim David.
Purse Remaining:
₹16.40 crore
Slots Left:
8
Needs
- Overseas fast bowler
- Backup for Yash Dayal
Insight
RCB looks balanced but lacks a genuine finisher besides Tim David.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Traded Out
Mohammed Shami.
Released
Zampa, Rahul Chahar, Sachin Baby.
Retained
Travis Head, Klaasen, Cummins, Harshal Patel, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan.
Purse Remaining:
₹25.50 crore
Slots Left:
10
Needs
- 2 spinners
- All-rounder
- Indian pacer
Insight
SRH will target Hasaranga or Zampa’s replacement aggressively.
Final Verdict: IPL 2026 Will Be Defined by Team Identity Shifts
If I had to pick the most impactful trades:
Top 3 Best Trades of IPL 2026
- Sanju Samson → CSK
- Ravindra Jadeja → RR
- Mohammed Shami → LSG
Teams that improved the most
- Rajasthan Royals (Jadeja + Curran + Ferreira)
- Mumbai Indians (Shardul + Rutherford + Markande)
- Chennai Super Kings (Samson + massive purse)
Teams that weakened the most
- Kolkata Knight Riders (Losing Russell + keeping no wicketkeeper)
- Gujarat Titans (Finisher gap post-Rutherford)
