IPL 2026: R Ashwin reveals Shardul Thakur-Arjun Tendulkar trade between MI and LSG

Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed a major trade move between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of the IPL 2026 retention deadline. According to Ashwin, all-rounder Shardul Thakur is set to join Mumbai Indians in exchange for Arjun Tendulkar.

All 10 franchises are required to announce their list of retained and released players by November. Speaking about MI’s strategy, Ashwin said, “Mumbai Indians won’t release many players. They needed a reliable backup for the injury-prone Deepak Chahar, and they’ve acquired Shardul Thakur through a trade with Lucknow. Their next target will likely be a quality spinner.”

Thakur had initially gone unsold at the mega auction but was later picked up by LSG as an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan at his base price of Rs 2 crore. He made an impressive start, taking six wickets in his first two matches, and ended the season with 13 wickets from 10 innings.

As part of the reported swap, LSG will receive left-arm pacer Arjun Tendulkar, who has been with Mumbai since 2021 but has featured in only five matches, taking three wickets.