R Ashwin confirms trade of Team India all-rounder from LSG to MI ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has confirmed that Shardul Thakur has joined the Mumbai Indians (MI) from the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a massive trade deal ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Auction. The all-rounder will be playing at his state home venue for the upcoming season as the franchises finalise their list of retained and released players before the set deadline on Saturday, November 15.

Shardul Thakur, who was unsold at the last auction, was roped in by LSG in the eleventh hour to combat their injury crisis. He played 10 matches and picked up 13 wickets at an average of 28.85 and an economy rate of 11.03.

MI is set to be the seventh franchise that Thakur will represent in the IPL after stints with Punjab Kings, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rising Pune Super Giants, and the Lucknow Super Giants.

R Ashwin raised the subject of Thakur's arrival to MI while discussing their potential releases ahead of the auction.

"I don't see MI releasing any player. Their only question would be around Deepak Chahar, who is a bit injury-prone. They have secured Shardul Thakur on a trade with LSG, that is done," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Shardul Thakur recently took over as Mumbai captain from Ajinkya Rahane ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season. The all-rounder is in decent touch, having played largely red-ball cricket since the culmination of the 2025 IPL campaign.

Shardul Thakur has picked up more wickets at Wankhede than any other venue in his IPL career

The pace bowling all-rounder brings a lot of experience and depth into the MI setup, but his familiarity with the Wankhede Stadium might also prove to be a factor. It marks one of the three venues where he has picked up more than 10 wickets in the IPL, with the others being the Dubai International Stadium and the MCA Stadium in Pune.

He has picked up 16 wickets in 17 appearances at the venue at an average of 35.69 and an economy rate of 9.71. Even with the bat, he boasts a strike rate of 137.29.

Edited by Gokul Nair