Former Indian spinner R Ashwin inadvertently confirmed that all-rounder Shardul Thakur has been traded to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2026, revealing details during a conversation on his YouTube channel before the content was deleted.
Accidental Revelation
During a discussion on his YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’, Ashwin disclosed: “I don’t see any releases happening from Mumbai, they won’t release anyone. Their biggest concern would be finding a replacement for Deepak Chahar, who’s a bit injury prone. They’ve secured Shardul Thakur through a trade from LSG. That has happened, they will probably look for a spinner and will get one too.”
Ashwin accidentally revealed that shardul thakur has been traded to MI …
— Sumittttttt (@Sumittt_0707) November 12, 2025
Ashwin always at the crime scene when you talk abt team leaks 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/feQA0bHG92
The portion containing this revelation was subsequently deleted from the video.
Trade Details
Several media reports earlier claimed Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants were negotiating over two players—Shardul and Arjun Tendulkar—ahead of the IPL trade window deadline. Cricbuzz reported these would be individual deals rather than a swap arrangement.
Shardul’s Recent Performance
Shardul went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction but was signed as injury replacement for Mohsin Khan by LSG. The veteran all-rounder started strongly with six wickets in the first two matches but struggled to maintain momentum, finishing with 13 wickets in 10 matches.
Arjun Tendulkar’s Status
Making his debut in 2023, Arjun Tendulkar has played five IPL matches for Mumbai Indians, taking three wickets. He was reacquired at his base price of ₹30 lakhs by the five-time champions in the IPL 2025 mega auctions.
Shardul’s Reflection
Earlier this year, Shardul discussed not being picked in the mega auction: “I feel all these things happen in cricket. It was a bad day for me in the auction (I didn’t get picked by any franchise.) LSG was the one who approached me first due to the injuries to their bowlers, so it was always on the cards. I had to accept it with Zaheer Khan around. You have to go through such things (ups and downs) in cricket.”
Strategic Implications
The trade addresses Mumbai Indians’ need for bowling depth, particularly with concerns about Deepak Chahar’s injury proneness. Shardul brings experience and all-round capabilities to the franchise seeking its sixth IPL title.
Official confirmation from both franchises is awaited.
