On Wednesday, the IPL confirmed a trade between two franchises: Devdutt Padikkal is leaving the Rajasthan Royals for the Lucknow Super Giants, and Avesh Khan is joining RR. Padikkal's time at RR spanned two years, following his initial stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore between 2019 and 2021. Avesh Khan also began his career at RCB in 2017, followed by a four-year run with the Delhi Capitals from 2018 to 2021, before being picked up by LSG in the 2022 mega auction.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) confirmed on Wednesday that Rajasthan Royals (RR) star opener Devdutt Padikkal has been traded to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), with Avesh Khan joining the Royals. Padikkal played for RR in two seasons, 2022 and 2023, and began his career with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (2019-2021). Avesh also started his IPL career with RCB in 2017 before moving on to Delhi Capitals for four seasons from 2018 to 2021. He was signed by LSG at the mega auction preceding the 2022 edition.
With 55 wickets in 47 IPL games, Avesh has proven his worth. While with LSG since 2022, the right-arm bowler secured 26 wickets in 22 matches, and he moves to the Royals for a fee of INR 10 crore. Meanwhile, Padikkal, the left-handed top-order batter, transfers to LSG for INR 7.75 crore. He enters the new team with a solid track record of 1521 runs across 57 matches, including nine fifties and one hundred.
This trade coincided with the news that Gautam Gambhir is stepping down as LSG's mentor. Gambhir is returning to the Kolkata Knight Riders, where he previously won two titles, and is expected to take on a coaching role for the 2024 season.
Avesh's standout 2022 IPL campaign, where he grabbed 18 wickets in 13 games, played a huge part in securing his spot on the Indian national T20 team. His strong form ensures he remains in the squad for the T20I series against Australia, kicking off today in Visakhapatnam.