IPL 2026: Arjun Tendulkar, Mohammed Shami traded to LSG; Nitish Rana swapped with Ferreira by DC and RR
The trading window is running hot and a few major trades have been pulled off on the morning of the retention deadline, with Mohammed Shami, Arjun Tendulkar, Nitish Rana, Donovan Ferreira and Mayank Markande moving from their respective franchises
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have acquired Mohammed Shami and Arjun Tendulkar from Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, respectively, on trade ahead of the IPL 2026 retention deadline. The Super Giants, in an attempt to upgrade their pace attack, were keen on getting an experienced Indian pacer and Shami, with his experience and a point to prove, will be the leader of the attack, which Rishabh Pant and Co missed out on in the 2025 edition of the IPL.
Shami has been traded for his existing league fee of INR 10 crore and the veteran pacer will be keen to get going at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, alongside the likes of Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav and also Arjun Tendulkar. Tendulkar, who has been with the Mumbai Indians since 2021, has gotten limited opportunities in the IPL and a trade to Lucknow, who were on a lookout for a left-arm quick, won't be a bad thing both for the franchise and the player and his future moving forward.
Like Shami, Arjun Tendulkar too was traded in by the Super Giants for his existing league fee of INR 30 Lakh. Tendulkar moving out of the Mumbai Indians wasn't the only trade update involving the five-time champions, as the Men in Blue got their leggie, Mayank Markande, back from the Kolkata Knight Riders at his auction fee of INR 30 Lakh. Markande didn't get a single opportunity to play for KKR in IPL 2025 and with the paucity of spinners in the Mumbai Indians, the 28-year-old will get many more opportunities.
Nitish Rana moves to his home city, Ferreira roped in by RR
Have Delhi got their captain? Who knows, but if leaving out a local boy wasn't easy for the Capitals in the last season, they have got another one, with Nitish Rana, finally being able to represent his home side. Rana, who came back to representing Delhi in domestic cricket, led the West Delhi Lions to the title in the Delhi Premier League, leading from the front, and has now been released by the Rajasthan Royals at his auction price of INR 4.2 crore.
The Capitals will be the fourth franchise for Rana in the IPL, having played for the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders as well, in the past. On the other hand, the Capitals have handed out the Royals a helping hand, by trading Donovan Ferreira, a monstrous middle-order hitter, for INR 1 crore, an increase by 25 Lakh in his existing league fee.
As many as 10 trades were executed before the 2026 edition of the IPL, and it will be interesting to see how all 10 teams assemble their squads before retention.