Sanju To CSK, Venky To RCB, And...: Top 5 IPL 2026 Trade Rumours, Possible Deals

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Sanju Samson and Venkatesh Iyer [Source: onecricket.official, @CricTelegraph/x.com]Sanju Samson and Venkatesh Iyer [Source: onecricket.official, @CricTelegraph/x.com]

The IPL 2026 trading window has ignited a frenzy of speculation, with marquee names dominating headlines and social media discourse. From cryptic Instagram posts by franchise officials to confirmed interests from team management, the cricketing fraternity is witnessing one of the most dramatic transfer sagas in recent memory.

As franchises recalibrate their strategies following mixed fortunes in 2025, the pursuit of transformational signings has intensified. Here are the five most compelling trade narratives that promise to redefine team dynamics and potentially alter the championship landscape for IPL 2026.

5. Glenn Maxwell

Current Market Value: ₹3-5 Crores (slight decrease from ₹4.2 Cr)

Glenn Maxwell for PBKS [Source: @cricketcomau/x.com]Glenn Maxwell for PBKS [Source: @cricketcomau/x.com]

Following consecutive underwhelming campaigns, Glenn Maxwell's Punjab Kings tenure culminated in a disappointing 48 runs across seven appearances before injury intervention. Nevertheless, his vast repository of experience and unconventional stroke repertoire continues attracting franchise interest.

Chennai Super Kings identify him as the quintessential solution for their home ground. His exceptional batting record and ability to bowl some overs of spin align perfectly with the inadequacies of CSK in IPL 2025. Gujarat Titans contemplate a strategic exchange involving Glenn Phillips.

At 36, Maxwell embodies the classical experience versus longevity calculus, compelling franchises to weigh immediate impact against sustained contribution in an increasingly youth-oriented ecosystem. 

4. Liam Livingstone

Current Market Value: ₹5-7 Crores (down from ₹8.75 Cr)

Liam Livingstone in RCB practice [Source: @RCBTweets/x.com]Liam Livingstone in RCB practice [Source: @RCBTweets/x.com]

RCB's championship triumph couldn't camouflage Livingston's individual tribulations. A meagre 112 runs across 10 encounters despite commanding a substantial auction price. His tactical marginalisation in favour of Romario Shepherd during crucial encounters underscored his diminished standing within the contribution hierarchy.

Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants view the Englishman as a potential middle-order panacea, placing faith in his antecedent achievements and invaluable spin-bowling versatility. His T20 pedigree and death-over proficiency sustain overseas player premiums despite recent tribulations. 

The estimated 40% valuation decline encapsulates overseas player market volatility, where contemporary form exercises disproportionate influence over established reputation. 

3. Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant [Source: @VibhuBhola/x.com]Rishabh Pant [Source: @VibhuBhola/x.com]

Current Market Value: ₹18-22 Crores (relatively stable from ₹27 Cr)

The tournament's most expensive acquisition faces an existential crossroads following a catastrophic campaign that yielded merely 88 runs across 11 innings. In two matches, he scored 181 runs, which brought his tally of runs to 269 for an otherwise less-than-ordinary season. Yet Pant's market resilience defies conventional wisdom, buoyed by his exceptional cricketing pedigree and relative youth at 27.

Delhi Capitals are orchestrating a homecoming narrative, convinced that familiar surroundings could resurrect his dormant genius. Mumbai Indians perceive him as a generational investment, banking on his pre-injury virtuosity. 

LSG confronts an uncomfortable reality: justifying their record-breaking investment against league stage elimination. Market sentiment suggests modest depreciation while maintaining premium valuation - a testament to positional scarcity trumping recent form.

2. Venkatesh Iyer

Current Market Value: ₹8-12 Crores (down from ₹23.75 Cr)

Venkatesh Iyer [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]Venkatesh Iyer [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

KKR's most regrettable acquisition demands immediate rectification. Iyer's catastrophic campaign - a paltry 142 runs across 11 outings at an abysmal average of 20.28. His astronomical price consumed one-fifth of KKR's salary cap while delivering negligible dividends.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have positioned themselves as frontrunners, seeking a replacement for Ishan Kishan. Iyer's exemplary historical record at number three suggests systemic mismanagement rather than inherent deficiency. Royal Challengers Bengaluru maintain their long-standing admiration, with coach Andy Flower's previous assertions that Iyer would have flourished within their tactical framework.

This precipitous market correction exemplifies the IPL's unforgiving meritocracy - astronomical investments must yield commensurate returns or face ruthless devaluation.

1. Sanju Samson

Current Market Value: ₹25-30 Crores (up from ₹18 Cr retention)

Sanju Samson [Source: @HustlerCSK/x.com]Sanju Samson [Source: @HustlerCSK/x.com]

Rajasthan Royals' talismanic captain has emerged as the tournament's most coveted asset, triggering a high-stakes bidding war between powerhouse franchises.

Chennai Super Kings have formally declared their pursuit through senior management, identifying Smason as the heir apparent to MS Dhoni's legacy - a rare fusion of wicketkeeping excellence and captaincy acumen.

The Kolkata Knight Riders have orchestrated a dramatic late entry, with their Head of Scouting's evocative Instagram chronicles featuring Samson sparking widespread speculation. Following their tumultuous 2025 campaign, KKR view the Kerala maestro as the antidote to their leadership crisis. 

Despite a truncated 2025 season yielding 285 runs across nine appearances due to injury setbacks, Samson's valuation has experienced meteoric appreciation. The acute scarcity of accomplished Indian wicketkeeper-top-order batters, coupled with his impressive career trajectory (30.94 average across 177 matches), has transformed him into cricket's equivalent of blue-chip stock.

Market Dynamics and Strategic Implications

The trading window has illuminated compelling market patterns: Indian wicketkeeper-batters command astronomical premiums irrespective of recent performances, while overseas contingents endure performance-linked recalibrations. Franchises increasingly prioritise leadership stability and tactical versatility, explaining Samson's stratospheric ascension and Iyer's precipitous decline.

With teams pursuing immediate solutions rather than developmental projects, anticipate aggressive pursuit of established performers and strategic devaluation of underachievers. The forthcoming weeks will determine which speculative narrative crystallises into dynamic-altering realities, potentially reshaping the IPL's competitive equilibrium for years to come.