The long-awaited announcement regarding player trades ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season has finally been made. In a significant development, Ravindra Jadeja will now be seen playing for Rajasthan Royals, while Sanju Samson is set to don the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) jersey. These major changes are expected to bring substantial shifts in. Team dynamics for the upcoming 19th season of the IPL.
Ravindra Jadeja Returns to Rajasthan Royals
Ravindra Jadeja, who began his IPL journey with Rajasthan Royals, is making a return to his original franchise. After joining Chennai Super Kings in the 2012 IPL season, Jadeja played for CSK for 12 consecutive seasons, becoming an integral part of their success. He's considered one of the most experienced players in the IPL, having played over 250 matches. Jadeja, whose fee was 18 crore rupees until the last season, has been acquired by Rajasthan Royals through a player trade for 14 crore rupees, marking a 4 crore rupee reduction in his remuneration.
Sanju Samson Joins Chennai Super Kings
Sanju Samson, who has been a prominent part of Rajasthan Royals for several IPL seasons and also led the team, will now be playing for Chennai Super Kings. Samson made his IPL debut in 2013 and, apart from playing for Delhi Capitals in 2016 and 2017, has spent all his other seasons with Rajasthan Royals. Chennai Super Kings has spent 18 crore rupees from their purse to secure Sanju Samson through the player trade rule. This trade sees Rajasthan Royals acquiring Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in exchange for Samson, who now moves to CSK.
Mini-Auction and Retention Deadline Details
The IPL 2026 mini-auction is scheduled to take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, while prior to this, auctions were held in Saudi Arabia in 2025 and Dubai in 2024. The deadline for all 10 teams to retain their players is set for November 15, 3 PM, while teams must finalize their squads before this crucial deadline, setting the stage for the upcoming season.
Chennai Super Kings Releases Key Players
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has made significant decisions ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, including the release of two New Zealand left-handed batsmen, Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra. Conway was bought for 6. 25 crore rupees last year, while Rachin was retained for 4 crore rupees using a Right-to-Match card. Their performance in IPL 2025 was disappointing, impacting the team's overall standing, with CSK finishing last in the season with only 4 wins. Rachin scored 191 runs at a strike rate of 128, while 18, while Conway managed only 156 runs at a strike rate of 131. 09.
Conway and Ravindra's Journey with CSK
Devon Conway joined CSK in 2022 and played a crucial role in their title win in 2023, scoring 672 runs at a strike rate of 140. Rachin Ravindra joined the team in 2024 and had a strike rate of 160. 86 in that season. However, their poor form in IPL 2025 led the team management to make this difficult decision, aiming to restructure the squad for future success.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Releases Liam Livingstone
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have also decided to release England all-rounder Liam Livingstone ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, while livingstone was acquired for 8. 75 crore rupees in the 2025 auction.
His performance in IPL 2025 didn't meet expectations; he scored 112 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 133. 33, with only one fifty. In bowling, he wasn't effective either, taking two wickets in 9 overs with an economy rate of 8. 44.
Punjab Kings Prepares for Major Overhaul
Punjab Kings (PBKS) is gearing up for significant changes ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, planning to release at least seven players, while the most notable name among them is Glenn Maxwell, whom PBKS bought for 4. 2 crore rupees in the 2025 auction, while maxwell played seven matches in IPL 2025 but was sidelined mid-season due to a finger fracture. He scored only 48 runs in six innings, with single-digit scores in his last four matches. PBKS is set to retain Australia's Mitchell Owen, who was acquired at a base price of 3 crore rupees and replaced Maxwell. Other players slated for release include Aaron Hardy, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Sen, Praveen Dubey, and Vishnu Vinod. Jamieson, brought in as a replacement for Lockie Ferguson, took five wickets in four matches, while Dubey played only one match. Hardy, Sen, and Vinod didn't get any opportunities in IPL 2025, while
Lucknow Super Giants' Retention Strategy
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has also prepared for major changes in their IPL 2026 retention list. The team will retain fast bowler Mayank Yadav, while leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, South African batsman David Miller, and Indian pacer Akash Deep have been decided for release. Akash Deep was bought for 8 crore rupees in last year's auction but missed the first half due to injury, taking three wickets in six matches upon his return.
Miller, acquired for 7, while 5 crore rupees in the 2025 IPL auction, scored 153 runs in 11 innings, but his low strike rate of 127. 49 was a concern for the management. LSG will retain several other players, including Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Ayush Badoni, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, Mohsin Khan, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, M Siddharth, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, and Shahbaz Ahmed. Mohammed Shami will also play for Lucknow.
