IPL: Lucknow Super Giants trade Avesh Khan to Rajasthan Royals for Devdutt Padikkal

With the buzz around the ICC World Cup gradually dying down after Sunday’s final, the focus is starting to shift to other cricketing events including the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which the franchises have already begun to trade players a month before the auction.

The IPL player auction is set to take place in Dubai on 19 December and the franchises have already started to make key moves. Among the players who are set to represent a different franchise in 2024 are Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer Avesh Khan and Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Devdutt Padikkal in what will be a direct swap between the two teams.

Avesh, who is part of India’s squad for the T20I series against Australia that starts this week, will be joining the Rajasthan Royals next season, while the inaugural IPL champions will be sending left-handed batter Padikkal to the Lucknow franchise.

Madhya Pradesh pacer Avesh played four seasons with the Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils) before joining LSG during the mega auction in 2022. He has collected a total of 55 wickets at an average of 26.33 in 47 appearances across seven seasons.

Kerala batter Padikkal had represented Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for two seasons in 2020 and 2021 before joining the Royals in 2022. Padikkal would bat as an opener for the Royal Challengers and had an excellent debut season with them, collecting 473 runs in 15 appearances at an average of 31.53. He would also cross the 400-run barrier the following season.

🚨 NEWS 🚨:

Avesh Khan traded to Rajasthan Royals, Devdutt Padikkal traded to Lucknow Super Giants. #IPL

More Details 🔽https://t.co/SN9w3zvmkJ

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 22, 2023

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The southpaw’s form however, would dip since his move to the Royals, where he batted at various positions, mainly at 4, collecting 376 runs in 17 games in 2022 and 261 in 11 this year.

Both players will be joining their new franchises for their existing fee.

It’s not just Avesh who’s set to part ways with the franchise; mentor Gautam Gambhir is set to return to the Kolkata Knight Riders in the same role. Gambhir had led KKR to their only titles in 2012 and 2014, defeating Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) respectively.

“I am not an emotional person, and not many things move me. But this is different. This is back to where it all started. Today, there is a lump in my throat and fire in my heart as I think about slipping into that purple and gold jersey once again,” Gambhir wrote in an emotional post on X on his return to KKR.