R Ashwin Accidentally Reveals Shardul Thakur’s Mumbai Indians Trade Ahead of IPL 2026

In a stunning pre-auction revelation, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has inadvertently confirmed that all-rounder Shardul Thakur has been traded from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the IPL 2026 season, sending ripples through the cricketing fraternity just days before the November 15 retention deadline. The 33-year-old Thakur, known for his fiery pace and lower-order hitting, joins MI as a strategic bolstering of their seam attack, reportedly for his base price of Rs 2 crore, without a direct player swap. Ashwin, in a now-deleted segment from his YouTube channel 'Ash ki Baat' on November 12, 2025, casually stated, "They've secured Shardul Thakur through a trade from LSG. That has happened," while discussing MI's squad planning around injury-prone pacer Deepak Chahar. This move marks Thakur's seventh IPL franchise, following stints with Punjab Kings, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rising Pune Supergiant, and LSG.

The trade buzz had been simmering since media reports emerged of negotiations between MI and LSG involving Thakur and Arjun Tendulkar, son of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, though sources clarified these as individual deals rather than a straight swap. Arjun, who played just five matches for MI across 2023-2025 and snared three wickets at an economy of 10.33, was retained at his base price of Rs 30 lakh in the 2025 mega-auction but could head to LSG to gain more game time. For MI, five-time champions eyeing a playoff return after a middling 2025, Thakur's arrival addresses depth issues in the pace department, complementing Jasprit Bumrah's leadership with his swing, death-over nous, and batting cameos—evident in his 13 wickets from 10 games for LSG last season at an average of 28.84. Thakur, currently captaining Mumbai in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26, brings venue familiarity, having claimed over 10 wickets at Wankhede Stadium alone.

Thakur's IPL odyssey has been a rollercoaster: unsold at the 2025 Jeddah mega-auction, he joined LSG as an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan, starting strongly with six wickets in the first two outings before tapering off amid team adjustments. Earlier in 2025, reflecting on the auction snub, Thakur told media, "It was a bad day... LSG approached me first due to injuries, so I had to accept it. You go through ups and downs in cricket." His versatility—boasting 84 IPL wickets at 27.12 and 330 runs—positions him as a high-impact utility player, especially valuable in MI's strategy to minimise auction risks with an unlimited retention policy capping at 25 players and a Rs 120 crore purse.

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Ashwin's slip-up, amid broader trade whispers like Chennai Super Kings' pursuit of Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson, has amplified speculation on MI's no-release stance, potentially freeing purse room for spinner acquisitions. While no official BCCI or franchise announcement has surfaced—trades must be ratified post-retention lists—the revelation has ignited a social media frenzy, with fans dubbing it a "masterstroke" for MI's title defence ambitions. As the mini-auction looms in mid-December, this deal could reshape power dynamics, underscoring the IPL's cutthroat pre-season chess game where leaks like Ashwin's often precede seismic shifts.

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