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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 player trade window is setting the stage for high-profile moves and strategic squad reshuffles ahead of the next season. With speculation swirling around big names like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, here’s a comprehensive look at the key dates, rules, and what fans can expect from this crucial period.
Key Dates: IPL 2026 Player Trade Window
First Trade Window:
Opened at 9:00 AM IST on June 10, 2025 (seven days after IPL 2025 ended on June 3).
Will remain open until 5:00 PM IST, seven days before the IPL 2026 player auction. The auction date is yet to be announced.
Second Trade Window:
Opens at 9:00 AM IST the day after the IPL 2026 auction concludes.
Closes at 5:00 PM IST, 30 days before the start of IPL 2026.
How the IPL Trade Window Works?
Types of Trades:
All-cash deals: One team pays another for a player (e.g., Hardik Pandya’s move to MI in 2024).
Player-for-player swaps: Teams exchange players directly.
All trades require approval from the IPL governing body.
Player Eligibility:
Only players retained by franchises before the auction can be traded.
Players bought at the auction are not eligible for trade in the same season.
Salary and Contracts:
The buying team pays the player’s existing league fee (salary), which is deducted from their salary cap. The selling team’s purse increases by the same amount.
Salary can be renegotiated with BCCI approval. Any increase is shared between the player and the selling team; decreases require BCCI consent.
Player Consent:
No trade can occur without the player’s agreement.
Foreign Players:
Trades involving overseas players require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the player’s home board.
Medical Checks:
The buying franchise is responsible for assessing the player’s fitness and can request a medical examination before finalizing the trade.
Trade Limits:
No cap on the number of trades, but each player can only be traded once between IPL 2025 and IPL 2026.
Teams must comply with squad size and salary cap rules.
Also READ: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) eyeing Sanju Samson in major IPL 2026 trade move
Target Players
Sanju Samson to CSK:
Multiple reports confirm Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are aggressively pursuing Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) captain Sanju Samson as a potential replacement for MS Dhoni. Negotiations are ongoing, with several teams expressing interest in Samson.
Ishan Kishan to MI:
Mumbai Indians are reportedly looking to bring back Ishan Kishan from Sunrisers Hyderabad after a lacklustre season with SRH.
Other Notable Prospects:
Mumbai Indians are eyeing Washington Sundar (GT), Kuldeep Sen (PBKS) and Vishnu Vinod (Kerala) to fill key gaps in their squad.
With the trade window open and franchises eager to strengthen their lineups, fans can expect a flurry of activity and possibly some blockbuster deals before the IPL 2026 auction. All trades must be finalized before the window closes, and any further moves will have to wait for the post-auction trading period.
Also READ: Rishabh Pant among IPL big guns set to go under the hammer in Delhi Premier League 2025
