(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] As the IPL franchises gear up for the approaching deadline to announce their retention lists, a significant trade took place on Wednesday between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Rajasthan Royals (RR).
In this exchange, fast-bowler Avesh Khan, previously a part of LSG, now finds himself traded to RR. In return, Devdutt Padikkal, who represented RR in the last season, is now handed over to the KL Rahul-led LSG. This strategic swap aims to bring fresh dynamics to both teams’ line-ups for the upcoming season.
In the previous IPL auction in 2022, LSG acquired Avesh for INR 10 crore (approximately US$ 1.2 million), while RR secured Padikkal’s services for INR 7.75 crore (approximately US$ 945,000). However, the new season will see both players donning the colors of their new franchises.
The previous IPL edition did not witness outstanding performances from either player. Avesh participated in nine matches during the IPL 2023, bagging only eight wickets with an average of 35.38 and an economy rate of 9.76. Intriguingly, his standout performance came against Rajasthan in 2023, during which the pacer picked three wickets, conceding 25 runs.
On the other hand, Padikkal, in his 11 appearances in the 2023 IPL, managed to accumulate a total of 261 runs with an average of 26.10 and a strike-rate of 130.50. Notably, Padikkal had struggled to find form in the 2022 IPL as well, tallying only 376 runs in 17 innings at an average of 22.12.
This trade marks the second transaction before the IPL 2024 auction, scheduled on 19th December in Dubai. The first trade involved Romario Shepherd moving from Sunrisers Hyderabad to Mumbai Indians.