Shardul Thakur returns to Mumbai in a third IPL trade
Mumbai Indians have secured a double boost ahead of IPL 2026, acquiring India allrounder Shardul Thakur and West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford in confirmed all-cash deals, while Arjun Tendulkar is set to move to Lucknow Super Giants.
📰 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗨𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗞𝗨𝗥 𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗠𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗔𝗜 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗜𝗣𝗟 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
Read more 👉 https://t.co/bwcjR4dDQs pic.twitter.com/NjvmKRA3NZ
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 13, 2025
Thakur joins MI from Lucknow Super Giants for ₹2 crore (approx. US$225.2K), while Rutherford arrives from Gujarat Titans at a fee of ₹2.6 crore (approx. US$292.8K) — the same amount GT had paid in the last auction. The Thakur deal marks his third trade in the IPL after previous all-cash moves to Rising Pune Supergiant (2017) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2023).
This move is being seen as a ‘homecoming’ for Thakur, who was a support bowler with Mumbai Indians from 2010 to 2012 and currently captains Mumbai in the domestic Ranji Trophy.
Thakur joined LSG as a replacement for Mohsin Khan at his base price of ₹2 crore after going unsold in the 2025 IPL mega auction. The signing was influenced by then mentor Zaheer Khan. Though Thakur started strong — taking six wickets in his first two games — he finished IPL 2025 with 13 wickets in 10 matches and an economy rate of 11.02.
According to the IPL’s official announcement, “the all-rounder has been traded to Mumbai Indians for his existing player fee of INR 2 crore.”
A source tracking the transaction clarified to Times of India, “Both the deals are straight-forward, all-cash and independent to each other. It’s not a trade.”
Sherfane Rutherford joins MI for a fourth franchise stint
In another confirmed move, Mumbai Indians have secured the services of West Indies power-hitter Sherfane Rutherford from Gujarat Titans for ₹2.6 crore (approx. US$292.8K) — the same amount GT had paid for him during the previous auction.
📰 𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗘 𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗠𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗔𝗜 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦
Read more 👉 https://t.co/13g4GNOoRY pic.twitter.com/cKqUu5zlbT
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 13, 2025
Rutherford will now represent his fourth IPL team, having previously turned out for Delhi Capitals (2019), Royal Challengers Bangalore (2022), and Gujarat Titans (2025). He was also part of the MI squad in 2020 and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 but did not play in either season.
In IPL 2025, Rutherford played 13 games for Gujarat Titans, scoring 291 runs at an average of 32.22 and a strike rate of 157.29.
The IPL officially confirmed Rutherford’s trade, noting he was “set to represent the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL 2026 season following a successful trade from the Gujarat Titans (GT).”
Arjun Tendulkar set to move to Lucknow, per reports
Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants have also reached a separate agreement involving left-arm pacer Arjun Tendulkar, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.
Tendulkar, who has been with MI since being bought at his base price of ₹30 lakh (approx. US$33.8K) in the 2023 auction, is expected to join LSG in search of more playing opportunities. He was first signed by MI in 2021 for ₹20 lakh (approx. US$22.5K) and made his debut in IPL 2023.
Over his two seasons, he featured in five matches, taking three wickets with an economy rate of 9.36. He did not play in IPL 2025.
The 26-year-old has also made his mark in domestic cricket, debuting in T20s for Mumbai in 2021 before shifting to Goa, where he has played across formats including first-class and one-day games.
Building momentum ahead of the auction
All three deals come just ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, scheduled for December 15 in Abu Dhabi. With the league’s trade window winding down, franchises are finalizing their squads before retention lists are made public.
For Mumbai Indians, bringing in Thakur and Rutherford boosts both experience and firepower — while Tendulkar’s departure to LSG opens the door for a potential starting role in a new setup.
