While the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals potential Ravindra Jadeja-Sam Curran for Sanju Samson trade is making headlines, another noteworthy player exchange-which isn’t technically a trade-is going relatively unnoticed.
According to Cricbuzz, the Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants are in discussions regarding Shardul Thakur and Arjun Tendulkar.
However, another way to look at the situation is that the two players might not be part of a direct trade, but rather independent trade. Both Thakur and Tendulkar are expected to switch teams, according to sources, though the two trade might be classified as separate all-cash swaps rather than a single player-for-player swap.
As per Indian Premier League (IPL) trading regulations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) must formally approve and announce any player transaction. Nonetheless, Cricbuzz has confirmed through sources in the Mumbai cricket circles that such a player movement is indeed being discussed. The official announcement could arrive alongside the list of player retention and releases on November 15.
After going unsold in the IPL mega auction in Jeddah last year, Thakur, who is currently captaining the Mumbai domestic side – was later signed by the Lucknow Super Giants as a replacement player for his base price of INR 2 crore prior to the start of the previous season. Despite his low batting results (18 runs) in 10 games for LSG, he impressed with the ball, taking 13 wickets. Thakur, who was mostly used with the new ball, proved effective in the powerplay and frequently led the attack.
Arjun Tendulkar, meanwhile, has been part of the Mumbai Indians squad for the past few seasons after being picked at his base price of INR 20 lakh in both auctions he entered. The 26-year-old left-handed all-rounder played in four games in the previous two seasons-three in 2023 and one in 2024-but did not play a match last season. In total, he has played in five IPL matches, taking three wickets and scoring 13 runs.
Although it remains unclear which franchise initiated the discussion, it is understood that both teams are open to the move. Tendulkar, who relocated from Mumbai to Goa a few years ago to pursue more opportunities in domestic cricket, has since played 21 first-class matches. Breaking into Mumbai’s strong line-up both in the Ranji Trophy and in the IPL – has always been a challenge for him.
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