5 big players who may be traded before next IPL season

The IPL trading window sometimes tells more stories than the auction table. It highlights the teams that believe in their plans and those that will be starting from scratch. Following an IPL season in 2026 where balance was one of the biggest losers for most teams, along with lack of leadership and depth, there are a number of players who have been reported as part of the rumored trade talks ahead of IPL 2027.

There are plenty of reasons for some teams to make major moves. Mumbai Indians require stability after another bad season while Lucknow Super Giants do not have any clear identity yet. Delhi Capitals must consider changing the leadership structure as well as role in the middle order of its players. Some foreign stars are getting paid heavily while not playing too much.

Five who might be traded next season

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya remains the biggest possible trade name ahead of IPL 2027. Mumbai Indians struggled throughout IPL 2026, and the pressure around leadership only increased as results worsened. Hardik’s all-round numbers dipped, while MI constantly shuffled his batting role. The larger issue was team balance.

Mumbai lacked reliable support around Jasprit Bumrah and looked unsettled in both batting and bowling phases. Hardik still offers elite value as a seam-bowling all-rounder. Across his IPL career, he has scored 2,955 runs at a strike rate of 146.29 and taken 82 wickets. His ability to anchor innings and finish games keeps him among the league’s most complete Indian players. Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru could both view him as a long-term captaincy solution.

Rishabh Pant

The Lucknow Super Giants have paid Rs. 27 crore to sign the services of Rishabh Pant, the costliest player of all time in the IPL league. But IPL 2026 was not up to any expectations from both parties. Pant kept moving between being an opener or No. 3 batter, but the batting lineup of LSG did not perform according to expectations in terms of rhythm and aggression in the middle overs.

Nonetheless, Pant still scored 312 runs in 14 matches with a strike rate of 138.05. In his IPL career, his strike rate is 146.79 and total runs amount to 3,865. Most significantly, Pant still remains a rare Indian Wicketkeeper Batter who can change the complexion of a game against spin bowling in the middle overs. Chennai Super Kings could see him as a long-term successor to MS Dhoni, while Delhi Capitals may consider bringing back their former leader.

Axar Patel

Delhi Capitals retained Axar Patel for ₹16.50 crore and later handed him leadership duties. But DC’s unstable campaign has created doubts over the current core group. Axar’s own batting impact was reduced during pressure situations, while Delhi often looked reactive tactically. Still, Axar remains one of the smartest utility players in the tournament.

In IPL 2026, he scored 173 runs at a strike rate of 131.06 and picked up 11 wickets with an economy of 8.18. His overall IPL numbers include 2,089 runs and 139 wickets. Teams searching for balance, especially Royal Challengers Bengaluru or Gujarat Titans, could target him for his dual role as a middle-overs controller and lower-order batter.

Ravi Bishnoi

Rajasthan Royals were mostly dependent on pace bowling in IPL 2026, thus minimizing the effectiveness of Ravi Bishnoi in many games. However, even in such a situation, RR still found it tough to create a proper spin attack for themselves in flatter pitches. Nevertheless, it is important to note that Bishnoi still remains suited for modern day T20 cricket. The player has 83 wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at an economy rate of 8.36. Moreover, he provides value on batting tracks with his attacking googlies and middle overs strategy.

Liam Livingstone

Liam Livingstone came into IPL 2026 under massive expectations but found himself as just another player on the already-crowded overseas bench of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Since SRH already had their overseas mainstay in place, it did not take long for Livingstone to become redundant in that regard. But Livingstone’s all-around T20 cricketing ability cannot be overlooked either.

Liam Livingstone boasts of 1,066 runs at an astounding strike rate of 155.17 and is not limited to batting alone; he contributes with both leg-spin and off-spin. Teams like Punjab Kings or Gujarat Titans could view him as the explosive middle-order all-rounder they currently lack.