Rajasthan Royals captain and star wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has formally requested the Jaipur-based franchise to trade or release him ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. It has been reported that the 30-year-old cricketer from Kerala is interested in a move to Chennai Super Kings. Samson will not be the first player to join the rival team via the trade deal. In the past, on multiple occasions, many top players have joined other hands via a trade deal and proved to be a major hit. Here’s a look at 11 players who joined via trade deal and proved to be a big hit/miss.
Hardik Pandya joined Mumbai Indians for Rs 15 crore from Gujarat Titans in a trade deal ahead of the 2024 auction and was appointed as the team’s captain as well for IPL 2024. (Picture Credit: X/@mipaltan)
Ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green joined RCB from MI for Rs 17.50 crore. (Picture Credit: PTI)
Delhi Capitals signed Punjab Kings captain Ravichandran Ashwin in a trade deal worth Rs 7.60 crore ahead of IPL 2020. (Picture Credit: Sportzpics)
SRH traded Shikhar Dhawan to Delhi Daredevils in exchange for three players – Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhishek Sharma – ahead of IPL 2019. (Picture Credit: PTI)
RCB signed Harshal Patel from DC for Rs 20 lakh in a trade deal ahead of IPL 2021, and in IPL 2021, Patel picked up 32 wickets for the Virat Kohli-led side and won the Purple Cap. (Picture Credit: PTI)
Delhi Capitals signed Rajasthan Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane and in return released Rahul Tewatia and Mayank Markande to Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2020. (Picture Credit: Sportzpics)
Mumbai Indians signed New Zealand pacer Trent Boult for Rs 2.2 crore from Delhi Capitals in a trade deal ahead of the start of IPL 2020. In IPL 2020, Boult dismissed 25 batters in 15 matches and helped MI win the IPL title. (Picture Credit: X/@mipaltan)
South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock joined Mumbai Indians in a trade deal from RCB ahead of the IPL 2019 auction. In 2019, De Kock scored 529 runs in 16 matches for MI and helped them win the title. (Picture Credit: PTI)
Rajasthan Royals signed Rahul Tewatia in a trade deal ahead of IPL 2020 for Rs 3 crore. In the 2020 edition of the IPL, Tewatia played 14 matches, scored 255 runs and dismissed 10 opposition batters. (Picture Credit: AP)
CSK signed Robin Uthappa from RR in a trade deal ahead of IPL 2021, and in 2021, he helped CSK win the title by scoring 115 runs in four matches. (Picture Credit: AP)
RCB signed KL Rahul in a trade deal from SRH ahead of IPL 2016. (Picture Credit: AFP)
