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STUMP VISION NOVEMBER 28, 2025 | The Indian Eye 40

IPL 2026

Mega Trades, Captaincy Questions and

Calls for Reform Before 2026 Auction

With Ravindra Jadeja’s stunning move to Rajasthan Royals, Sanju Samson’s switch
to CSK, questions over captaincy, and veteran players are openly pitching for a

radical overhaul of the tournament’s structure

OUR BUREAU thinks Gaikwad opening is non-negotiable. “His
leadership and batting at the top will provide the
Abu Dhabi
stability they need.”
ndian cricket’s most valuable property is enter- He also pointed to CSK’s thin bowling unit
ing unfamiliar territory. The frenzy triggered by after releasing Matheesha Pathirana, stressing the
Ithe Jadeja–Samson–Curran trade — the big- need for reinforcements.
gest multi-player swap in IPL history — has been “Nathan Ellis becomes crucial. They still
matched only by the debate surrounding captaincy, need an Indian spinner to replace Jadeja and
team balance and the very design of the league it- more Indian fast bowlers alongside Khaleel
self. Ahmed.” With `43.4 crore in the purse and nine
Former India captain and ex-head coach Anil slots available, CSK are expected to be aggressive
Kumble captured the mood best when he called at the auction.
Jadeja’s move “a big surprise,” signalling the start But even these tactical debates were overshad-
of a rare shake-up involving two of the league’s owed by a larger question thrown into the spot-
most stable franchises. light by another former India cricketer — Robin
“Generally, CSK doesn’t let go of their play- Uthappa.
ers, especially someone of Jadeja’s quality,” Kum- In a sharp critique of the IPL’s model, Uthap-
ble said on JioStar. “I was surprised they let him pa said it was time for the league to scrap its auc-
go.” His words reflected what many in the cricket- tion system entirely and adopt a year-round trade
ing world felt: that Chennai Super Kings, a team window and draft system.
built on continuity, had stepped into a new chapter “You are the leading cricket league in the
marked by practical rebuilding rather than emo- world. Mature now,” Uthappa said on his You-
tional loyalty. Tube channel. “Stop with the auctions and keep
The trade itself was seismic. Rajasthan Royals the trade window open throughout the year. Have
sent long-time skipper Sanju Samson to CSK for a draft and get rid of the auctions. For crying out
`18 crore. In return, the five-time champions re- loud, get rid of the auctions.”
leased Ravindra Jadeja (`14 crore) and England He argued that the current model restricts
all-rounder Sam Curran (`2.4 crore) — a block- team building, prevents fan loyalty, and keeps the
buster move that immediately raised strategic league stuck in a “start-up mindset” designed for
questions for both sides. Ravindra Jadeja (ANI file photo) TV drama rather than long-term development.
For Jadeja, the deal is a homecoming of sorts. “They are not going beyond the entertain-
The all-rounder played 27 IPL matches for RR ment mindset,” he said. “Even a draft can be
in the early years, scoring 430 runs and taking six to a young Indian player will shape their strategy great TV. You’ll get fans engaging and create
wickets. But unlike last time, his comeback brings for years. loyalty. It should be like a six-month league.”
leadership chatter. Kumble openly floated the For CSK, the arrival of Samson is part of a His proposal — extending IPL to half the year
possibility of Jadeja becoming RR captain, even calculated overhaul under Ruturaj Gaikwad. The — reignited an old debate about cricket calendars,
though the franchise has multiple internal candi- 2025 season exposed gaps in their top order, and player workloads and commercial appetite. While
dates. CSK’s batting fell apart after Gaikwad’s elbow in- the BCCI is unlikely to overhaul the IPL immedi-
“Riyan Parag has led them in a couple of jury. Kumble believes that clarity is essential now ately, the very fact that such an idea is being se-
matches, Yashasvi Jaiswal has always harbored — especially at the top. riously floated by a former champion underlines
captaincy dreams, Dhruv Jurel has the temper- “My clear advice is that Ruturaj should open how the league’s expanding scale has created pres-
ament, and Sam Curran is an overseas option,” the batting himself,” he said. Gaikwad shifted sure for innovation.
Kumble said. “So Jadeja becomes another inter- to No. 3 last season, while Devon Conway and The 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi, sched-
esting possibility.” Rachin Ravindra opened. After his injury, the role uled for December 16, now comes with layers of
That leadership vacuum is central to RR’s big- swung between multiple players before 18-year- subplots: Jadeja’s return to RR, Samson’s fresh
gest headache after moving on from Samson, who old Ayush Mhatre emerged with 240 runs in seven start at CSK, Gaikwad’s captaincy evolution, and
led them from 2021 to 2025. Whether they gamble games. the possibility of bigger structural debates domi-
on Jadeja, back Parag’s rising personality, or turn Despite having Samson and Mhatre, Kumble nating the off-season.

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