The two biggest trade rumors of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Washington Sundar to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and KL Rahul to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), have finally been put to rest.
Gujarat Titans (GT) head coach Ashish Nehra has made it clear that Washington Sundar is not available for trade, ending Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) hopes of bringing the all-rounder into the yellow camp for IPL 2026, reports Cricbuzz.
CSK’s hopes dashed as GT refuses to trade Washington Sundar; There is no possibility of KL Rahul going to KKR
CSK is reportedly keen to bring off-spin all-rounder Sundar into the squad ahead of the IPL 2026 season. MS Dhoni was reportedly keen to have an off-spinner with him and a proper all-rounder to maintain the balance for the next season.
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But Gujarat Titans are not ready to leave Sundar. Nehra’s strong stance has already been communicated to the CSK management, thereby putting an end to further discussions regarding the trade.
On the other hand, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are looking for a captain who can also take wickets and handle the innings. Sanju Samson and KL Rahul were considered perfect for the role, but KKR is not ready to give up any of its top players in return.
KKR wanted to bring KL Rahul to the team from Delhi Capitals. But the three-time IPL champions don’t have the kind of trade assets that DC would agree to, with Rinku Singh and Angkrish Raghuvanshi untouched and icons like Andre Russell and Sunil Narine off-limits.
Even Venkatesh Iyer, after an ineffective season, is unlikely to be wooed by Delhi. And due to which, Rahul’s move to KKR seems almost impossible, even if franchises like Rajasthan Royals (RR) or Delhi Capitals (DC) manage to pull off the Samson trade before IPL 2026.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals (RR) may face a tough situation as Samson is reportedly keen on moving to a new franchise. The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman has made his intentions clear by putting the Royals in a challenging position ahead of the IPL 2026 season.
On the other hand, there is no pressure on capitals to take any action. The franchise is open to discussions about a potential trade, but only if they get a top-quality player in return. As of now, no such offer has been made, which means the prospects of a Samson-DC deal remain uncertain.
With the mini-auction of IPL 2026 approaching, the excitement in the cricket world is at its peak. As the November 15 retention deadline approaches, franchises are racing to finalize their lists – and behind the scenes, some explosive trade talks are taking place that could completely shake up team lineups for the new season.
