Full List of Major IPL Trades in History(2009 - 2025): From Zaheer Khan to Hardik Pandya
IPL franchises have increasingly used the trading window (opened in 2009) to swap players or buy out contracts. The very first IPL trade happened in 2009 when Mumbai Indians (MI) swapped pacer Ashish Nehra and opener Shikhar Dhawan with the Delhi Daredevils (DD). That same season, MI also traded Robin Uthappa to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in exchange for veteran seamer Zaheer Khan, an all-cash swap that cost neither side. Over the years, trades have ranged from high-profile captain swaps to strategic moves to balance squads. Below we list the major trades (and some smaller ones) that have reshaped IPL teams.
2009: The First IPL Trading Window
The inaugural IPL saw two landmark trades. MI and DD exchanged Ashish Nehra and Shikhar Dhawan with no money involved. In another deal, MI sent opener Robin Uthappa to RCB for left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan, also a cashless swap
2012–2015: Strategic Squad-Building Trades
Teams began using trades to plug gaps. In 2012, Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) sent keeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik to MI in a cash deal ($2.35m). Karthik’s arrival paid off: MI won its first IPL title in 2013, with Karthik scoring 510 runs (28.3 avg, two 50s) that season. In 2015, RCB traded left-hander Parthiv Patel to MI. Parthiv became a mainstay opener for MI (2015–17) and scored 911 runs over those seasons, helping MI clinch two more titles.
2019–2020: Title-Winning Acquisitions
Several trades in this period yielded instant impact. Notably, in 2019 RCB traded explosive opener Quinton de Kock to MI (₹2.8cr); de Kock then scored 500+ runs in back-to-back 2019–20 seasons with MI, forming a dominant opening pair. In 2020, Delhi Capitals (DC) sent left-arm speedster Trent Boult to MI for cash (₹3.2cr). Boult immediately spearheaded MI’s bowling: he took 25 wickets (avg 18.3) in 2020, a major factor in MI’s title run. Meanwhile, veteran off-spinner R. Ashwin moved from Punjab Kings (PBKS) to DC in 2020 (for ₹7.6cr). He revived his career with DC, taking 13 wickets that season and 20 across two seasons (2019–20).
2021: Super Subs and Surprise Swaps
In 2021, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) shocked many by trading for veteran Robin Uthappa (from Rajasthan Royals, all-cash deal). Though he played only 4 games, Uthappa contributed 115 runs and was part of CSK’s title-winning squad. The same year, Delhi Capitals (DC) traded oututility player Harshal Patel to RCB, which ignited his purple patch; Harshal took a league-high 32 wickets in 2021 and 99 overall for RCB.
2022–2023: High-Profile Big-Money Moves
The 2022–2023 window saw blockbuster trades. In late 2022, Delhi Capitals (DC) swapped all-rounder Shardul Thakur with Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) rookie Aman Khan. DC had paid ₹10.75cr for Thakur, who had taken 15 wickets in 2022. (After the trade, he played for KKR in 2023.) That same November, MI traded left-arm quick Lockie Ferguson and keeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz from new team Gujarat Titans (GT) to KKR in separate all-cash deals
At the 2023 trade deadline, two shock moves occurred. Gujarat Titans young champion captain Hardik Pandya (GT to MI) and MI’s emerging all-rounder Cameron Green (MI to RCB) were each bought out for huge fees. Hardik’s transfer (₹15cr) was the first time a title-winning skipper was. Green’s move (₹17.5cr) gave RCB a match-winner – he subsequently scored 255 runs and took 10 wickets for RCB. Below are the key trades of this era:
2024: Recent Swap Deals and Tactics
In late 2023 ahead of IPL 2024, several direct swaps took place. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) swapped pacer Avesh Khan and batter Devdutt Padikkal: Avesh (LSG to RR) kept his ₹2.2cr fee and went on to take 19 wickets in 2024, while Padikkal (RR to LSG) kept his ₹7.75cr fee (1,521 IPL runs prior). Shortly after, RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) traded all-rounders Mayank Dagar (SRH to RCB) and Shahbaz Ahmed (RCB to SRH). Neither thrived in 2023 – Shahbaz managed just 42 runs and 1 wicket in 10 games for RCB, and Dagar only played 3 games (1 wicket) for SRH.
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