 "Shardul Thakur from Lucknow Super Giants to Mumbai Indians was the first official trade for the IPL 2026 season. Image: Reuters")
The player trade over the years has become a popular method for the Indian Premier League (IPL) to fill the gaps in their sides. It’s also the only possible way teams can shake up their squads outside the auction. We all remember the famous trade between the Mumbai Indians and the Gujarat Titans as Hardik Pandya returned to MI in 2023.
A player trade in IPL typically involves the movement of a player from a franchise that bought him in the auction to another team. The trades can be a player swap between two teams or an all-cash deal.
It’s important to note that a player’s consent is for a trade to take place. Which means a player cannot be pushed out by a franchise without his approval.
As per the rules, the trading window in IPL begins a month after the season ends and stays open till the week before the next auction. It reopens after the auction and shuts a month before the next season.
While the trading window for IPL 2026 has been open from June 2025, the first official trade was only completed on 13 November when Shardul Thakur moved from Lucknow Super Giants to Mumbai Indians .
IPL 2026: Full list of player trades
As we gear up for the IPL 2026 auction and the next season, here’s a complete list of official player trades taken so far.
Shardul Thakur: Traded from Lucknow Super Giants to Mumbai Indians for Rs 2 crore
Sherfane Rutherford: Traded from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians for Rs 2.6 crore