In Focus by The Hindu IPL trades: On retentions, team strategies and auction war rooms for IPL 2026
Nov 22, 2025
Amol Karhadkar, a sports reporter for The Hindu, dives into the exciting world of IPL trades and team strategies before the 2026 auction. He highlights major roster shifts, including the sensational Samson-Jadeja-Curran swap, and discusses the emotional versus cutthroat decisions franchises faced this season. Amol examines RCB's cautious approach to auction strategies while praising Mumbai's trade success. He also names key players to watch in the upcoming auction, teasing potential bidding wars for stars like Andre Russell.
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KKR And CSK Embrace Massive Squad Resets
- KKR and CSK treated this mini-auction like a mega reset by releasing many players to inflate purses.
- Both teams now aim to use large purses strategically rather than retain status quo players.
Emotional Bonds Gave Way To Cutthroat Cuts
- Franchises' emotional bonds with long-term players weakened this cycle, leading to cutthroat releases.
- High-profile departures like Russell and Jadeja show teams prioritised purse and rebuild over sentiment.
Samson Fits CSK's Experienced-Player Model
- Sanju Samson's move to CSK suits their preference for experienced Indian internationals.
- Rajasthan swapped Jadeja and Sam Curran to rebuild under a new coach and possible Jadeja captaincy.