Yashasvi Jaiswal to Rishabh Pant: 5 Stars Likely to Switch Teams via Trade Ahead of IPL 2027 Season

Ahead of IPL 2027, major trade talks are heating up with five big players likely to switch franchises. Rumours include a Jaiswal–Pandya swap, Rishabh Pant’s return to Delhi Capitals, and Suryakumar Yadav’s speculated homecoming to KKR in deals.

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Five players are joining new teams

It has not even been a month since IPL 2026 concluded, yet trade talks have already taken centre stage, with franchises reportedly exploring blockbuster player swaps ahead of the 2027 season.

Certain players hogged the spotlight with their performances in the recently concluded season, but there are others whose futures could be reshaped through potential high-profile trades, especially those who had a disappointing season with their current teams.

Since the pre-auction trading window begins soon,  franchises are working around the clock to finalize player availabilities, clear up salary cap space, and negotiate directly with one another before submitting their finalized paperwork for approval.

On that note, let's take a look at 5 big stars who are likely to switch teams via trade ahead of the IPL 2027 season. 

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Yashasvi Jaiswal To Be Traded to Mumbai Indians?

The left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a batting mainstay for Rajasthan Royals over the last few seasons, establishing himself as one of the most explosive and reliable young talents in the tournament. He performed well in the IPL 2026, amassing 427 runs, including 3 fifties, at an average of 30.50 and a strike rate of 152.50 in 16 matches. 

However, with the 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi completely overshadowing the top order by smashing a record-breaking 776 runs to claim the Orange Cap and MVP honours, Jaiswal's future at the Royals franchise has somewhat been cast into shade. 

It was speculated that Yashasvi Jaiswal could be moving to the Mumbai Indians, with Hardik Pandya reportedly being offered as a potential mega-swap to bring the explosive opening batter to the Wankhede Stadium. A fresh environment might improve his chances of returning to India’s T20I setup, where he has recently missed out on regular selection.

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Hardik Pandya To Move On From MI

Hardik Pandya's potential exit from the Mumbai Indians has already been on the cards after the five-time IPL champions endured a disappointing season under his captaincy, finishing a dismal ninth on the points table with just 4 wins from 14 matches.

Pandya’s appointment as captain, replacing Rohit Sharma in 2024, did not change the Mumbai Indians’ fortunes, as the team slumped to the bottom of the points table with a dismal 10th-place finish in 2024, before showing only marginal improvement over the next two editions.

The reported ift in the dressing room was further overshadowed by their disappointing campaign. It was reported that the Mumbai Indians are likely to trade Hardik to the Rajasthan Royals in exchange for flamboyant opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, which would mark one of the most stunning swap deals in the history of the IPL

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Rishabh Pant's Emotional Homecoming to DC

Rishabh Pant is all set to return to the Delhi Capitals after parting ways with Lucknow Super Giants, where he led the side in two successive IPL seasons. At the LSG, Pant was unable to justify his record price tag of INR 27 crore, as he endured two underwhelming seasons, both individually and as a leader, failing to take the team to the playoffs. 

Pant’s exit from LSG was on the cards after the team management hinted at a change in leadership following his stepping down as captain. The 27-year-old is nearing a return to the Delhi Capitals, where he spent nine IPL seasons, reportedly taking an INR 12 crore pay cut.

Rishabh Pant will reportedly be traded for Kuldeep Yadav, who will move in the opposite direction to complete a high-profile swap deal between the two franchises, pending formal BCCI approval.

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Suryakuma Returns to KKR

Suryakumar Yadav has been speculated to make his return to the Kolkata Knight Riders after experts and former cricketers predicted a high-profile homecoming for the star batter. The flamboyant batter is facing an uncertain future at the Mumbai Indians following a lean IPL 2026 campaign, scoring 270 runs at an average of 20.77. 

His poor performance led to his removal as T20I captain, as well as exclusion from the national squad entirely by the selection committee, despite leading the Men in Blue to the T20 World Cup win in February this year. Due to a career setback, Suryakumar might return to his first franchise, KKR, where he spent four seasons from 2014 to 2017, for a fresh start. 

The speculations of his potential exit from the MI arise as the five-time IPL champions look to revamp their leadership core, making a mutually beneficial trade highly likely.

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Kuldeep Yadav moves to LSG

Kuldeep Yadav is set to bid adieu to the Delhi Capitals after five seasons, as he will be moving to Lucknow Super Giants through a trade deal involving Rishabh Pant. Kuldeep and Pant represent a high-profile, cash-adjusted swap between the two franchises as both teams undergo major tactical resets ahead of the 2027 season.

Kuldeep's existing contract of INR 13.25 crore is expected to be directly absorbed by the LSG, allowing the Uttar Pradesh-born wrist-spinner to represent his home-state franchise. The DC will have to pay INR 13.75 crore in corporate cash to balance out the remaining financial difference in Rishabh Pant's incoming revised INR 15 crore contract from INR 27 crore, effectively closing out one of the most complex swap deals in IPL history. 

Once the move officially happens, the highly anticipated step awaits ratification from the BCCI to officially reshape both teams' tactical and financial blueprints ahead of the 2027 season.