The window for swapping players between teams is now open. It will close one week before the big auction in 2026. Lots of people are talking about which cricketers might switch teams. Keep in mind – nothing is final. These are just stories and guesses.
Let’s see which players could join new teams.
Top Player Trade Rumors For IPL 2026
Here are the main trade stories everyone is discussing:
| Cricket Star | Present Team | Possible New Team | What They Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenn Maxwell | Punjab Kings | Chennai Super Kings | Batsman + Bowler |
| Rishabh Pant | Lucknow Super Giants | Mumbai Indians | Batsman + Keeper |
| Venkatesh Iyer | Kolkata Knight Riders | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Batsman + Bowler |
| Liam Livingstone | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Mumbai Indians | Batsman + Bowler |
| Ishan Kishan | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Mumbai Indians | Batsman + Keeper |
| Sanju Samson | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings | Batsman + Keeper |
| Devon Conway | Chennai Super Kings | Gujarat Titans | Batsman |
| Sam Curran | Chennai Super Kings | Gujarat Titans | Batsman + Bowler |
| KL Rahul | Delhi Capitals | Kolkata Knight Riders | Batsman + Keeper |
| Kamindu Mendis | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Gujarat Titans | Batsman + Bowler |
1. Glenn Maxwell Moving To Chennai? (PBKS → CSK)
Glenn Maxwell from Australia didn’t play his best in 2025 with Punjab. Now people say Chennai wants him on their side.
Chennai thinks Maxwell can hit hard and bowl spin. Their home ground might suit him better. Gujarat also wants Maxwell. Nobody knows what will happen, but Punjab might let him go if they get a good deal.
2. Rishabh Pant Could Join Mumbai (LSG → MI)
Rishabh Pant was the biggest buy in IPL 2025. Lucknow paid 27 crore rupees for him. But he only played one good match all season.
Mumbai wants an Indian leader who can finish games. They like Pant’s bold style. But getting Pant would cost a lot. Mumbai would need to give many good players to make this swap work.
3. Venkatesh Iyer To Hyderabad? (KKR → SRH)
Venkatesh Iyer is getting lots of attention. Kolkata paid almost 24 crores for him in 2025, but he didn’t do well. Now Kolkata might want to swap him.
Hyderabad really wants Iyer. They might take him if they remove Kishan from their team. Bangalore also wants him. Many people think Iyer will play better with a different team.
4. Liam Livingstone Leaving Bangalore? (RCB → MI)
Liam Livingstone from England had a bad time with Bangalore in 2025. Bangalore might send him away or swap him.
Mumbai and Lucknow both want Livingstone. They need someone who can hit big sixes in the middle of the batting order. If Bangalore says yes, Mumbai or Lucknow will grab him fast.
5. Ishan Kishan Going Back To Mumbai? (SRH → MI)
Ishan Kishan got his first IPL hundred last year and made 354 runs total. His old team Mumbai might want him back.
Kishan played great for Mumbai before. Some news says Mumbai could bring him home, like they did with Hardik Pandya before. Mumbai might make a move, but nothing is decided.
6. Sanju Samson To Chennai? (RR → CSK)
Chennai wants Rajasthan’s captain, Sanju Samson. Reports say Chennai is “really looking at Sanju” and wants to get him.
Chennai needs a strong batsman and keeper who can take over from MS Dhoni later. Samson fits perfectly. The story says Chennai might send Shivam Dube and another player to get Samson. But Rajasthan might not give away their captain.
7. Devon Conway Switching To Gujarat? (CSK ↔ GT)
Devon Conway from New Zealand might leave Chennai for Gujarat. People say Chennai would give Conway to Gujarat and get back Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, and some cash.
Chennai came last in 2025 and needs better batting. If Conway goes, Chennai gets two players who can bat and bowl. This would make their middle batting stronger. But this is still just talk.
8. Sam Curran Heading To Gujarat? (CSK → GT)
Sam Curran from England is one of the best players who can bat and bowl. He might join Gujarat for IPL 2026. Gujarat lost David Miller to Lucknow in 2025, so they need another hard hitter.
Curran played for Chennai in 2025 and did great things with bat and ball. Gujarat wants him to do the same for them. Curran’s brave batting can help Gujarat’s late batting order. He can win close matches.
9. KL Rahul To Kolkata? (DC → KKR)
KL Rahul had an okay first season with Delhi. Now Kolkata wants to bring him to their team. News reports say Kolkata has shown that they want Rahul.
Kolkata wants Rahul so much they might make him captain. Rahul knows KKR’s helper coach Abhishek Nayar well. The trouble is, Kolkata doesn’t have the right players to give Delhi. Some also say Chennai might try for Rahul instead of Samson. Right now, these are just stories.
10. Kamindu Mendis To Gujarat? (SRH → GT)
Kamindu Mendis from Sri Lanka is a player who bats and bowls that Gujarat wants for IPL 2026. He’s special because he can bowl with his left hand in two different ways. He also bats well.
Mendis played 5 games for Hyderabad and showed his skill. If he joins Gujarat, he will bowl spin with Sai Kishore. Gujarat’s bowling will get much better with Mendis.
Conclusion: The IPL 2026 Trade Is Currently On
All these swaps are just rumors right now. Nothing is confirmed. The window for trading is open, but teams are only talking.
We’ll only know the real swaps when teams tell everyone officially. Until then, these are just fun ideas that fans are discussing.
The swap window will close one week before the 2026 auction. After that, teams can only buy players at the auction. Let’s see which players really change teams!
FAQs
The IPL 2026 trade window closes one week before the 2026 auction. Teams can trade until then. Another swap window opens the day after the auction ends and stays open for one month before the tournament begins.
Chennai Super Kings seems to be making the most moves in 2026. Chennai is connected to many players like Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, and Glenn Maxwell. They want to get better after finishing last in 2025.
Pant can go from Lucknow to Mumbai, but it needs a huge deal. Lucknow paid 27 crores for Pant, so Mumbai would need to give many top players to make this happen.
None of these trades are real yet. Everything here is just rumors and guesses. Teams are only talking during the swap window. Official news will come later.
Venkatesh Iyer and Ishan Kishan will most likely switch teams. Both didn’t play well in 2025, and their teams (Kolkata and Hyderabad) want changes. Many teams want to sign them.
