Sunrisers Hyderabad have made their biggest move of the IPL 2027 trade window, agreeing a four-player, two-way, all-cash swap with Chennai Super Kings. SRH send batting all-rounder Liam Livingstone and young all-rounder Jack Edwards to CSK, and bring in left-arm quick Khaleel Ahmed and death-bowling specialist Nathan Ellis.
The deal follows SRH’s earlier confirmed trade with Delhi Capitals, which brought in T Natarajan for Zeeshan Ansari, and continues their clear plan to rebuild the bowling attack ahead of the IPL 2027 mini auction. The rest of this page covers the wider SRH trade picture, including the Pat Cummins workload question, the Ishan Kishan speculation and SRH’s auction outlook.
SRH Another Confirmed Trade: Livingstone and Edwards to CSK, Khaleel and Ellis In
SRH’s latest confirmed move of the IPL 2027 cycle is a four-player swap with Chennai Super Kings. SRH part with Liam Livingstone and Jack Edwards, and in return strengthen their pace stocks with Khaleel Ahmed and Nathan Ellis. All four players move at set fees in an all-cash arrangement, completed inside the IPL 2027 trade window.
| Player | Direction | Move | Fee | Deal Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liam Livingstone | Out | SRH to CSK | ₹6 crore | All cash (two-way trade) |
| Jack Edwards | Out | SRH to CSK | ₹3 crore | All cash (two-way trade) |
| Khaleel Ahmed | In | CSK to SRH | ₹4.8 crore | All cash (two-way trade) |
| Nathan Ellis | In | CSK to SRH | ₹2 crore | All cash (two-way trade) |
On the money, SRH receive ₹9 crore for Livingstone and Edwards and spend ₹6.8 crore on Khaleel Ahmed and Nathan Ellis, coming out around ₹2.2 crore ahead on the deal while also freeing up a batting slot. For CSK, the trade adds a destructive middle-order hitter in Livingstone and a young all-round option in Edwards.
SRH Confirmed Trade: T Natarajan In, Zeeshan Ansari Out
The first confirmed SRH trade of the IPL 2027 cycle is a straight two-way swap with Delhi Capitals. SRH bring back T Natarajan, the left-arm yorker specialist who first made his name at the franchise, while handing DC the leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari. Both players move at set fees in an all-cash arrangement.
| Player | Direction | Move | Fee | Deal Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T Natarajan | In | Delhi Capitals to SRH | ₹5 crore | All cash (two-way trade) |
| Zeeshan Ansari | Out | SRH to Delhi Capitals | ₹40 lakh | All cash (two-way trade) |
For SRH, this is a targeted fix rather than a splash. Natarajan returns at a revised ₹5 crore, down from his previous price, and gives the side a proven death-overs option to pair with its top-order firepower. For Delhi Capitals, Zeeshan Ansari adds a young wrist-spin option for ₹40 lakh. The trade is completed inside the IPL 2027 trade window, before the mega auction in November 2026.
SRH Trade Status at a Glance
Unlike MI or KKR, SRH’s trade window activity has remained quiet. The franchise’s biggest decisions will depend on Cummins’ availability and whether their bowling depth issues force them into the trade market.
| Player | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Liam Livingstone | Confirmed (Out) | Traded to CSK for ₹6 crore |
| Jack Edwards | Confirmed (Out) | Traded to CSK for ₹3 crore |
| Khaleel Ahmed | Confirmed (In) | Traded in from CSK for ₹4.8 crore |
| Nathan Ellis | Confirmed (In) | Traded in from CSK for ₹2 crore |
| T Natarajan | Confirmed (In) | Traded in earlier from Delhi Capitals for ₹5 crore |
| Zeeshan Ansari | Confirmed (Out) | Traded to Delhi Capitals for ₹40 lakh |
| Pat Cummins | Doubt | May skip IPL 2027 to manage his workload |
| Ishan Kishan | Speculation | Linked with a move to Mumbai Indians |
| Hardik Pandya | Ruled out | No SRH interest shown |
Status key: Doubt = player’s own statement creates uncertainty. Speculation = social media claims, unverified. Ruled Out = credible report confirms no interest.
SRH’s IPL 2026 Season: Batting Fireworks, Bowling Fragility
Sunrisers Hyderabad finished third in IPL 2026 with 9 wins from 15 matches (60% win rate). Their season ended in the Eliminator, where Rajasthan Royals knocked them out thanks to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s record-breaking 29-ball 97.
The Orange Army’s batting line-up remained one of the most destructive in the tournament. Three players crossed 550 runs:
| Player | Runs | Matches | Strike Rate | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heinrich Klaasen | 624 | 15 | Aggressive | Middle-order destroyer; 13 catches |
| Ishan Kishan | 602 | 15 | Consistent | Stand-in captain (first 7 matches); No. 3 batter |
| Abhishek Sharma | 563 | 15 | 200+ | Explosive opener; strike rate above 200 |
However, SRH’s bowling remained their Achilles heel. Only Eshan Malinga (20 wickets) made the top ten wicket-takers’ list. Former SRH coach Tom Moody delivered the most pointed criticism: “You’re pouring a lot of money into the way you play as a batting unit, but you’re left short with the finances to build a strong bowling unit.”
How the Season Ended
Cummins missed the first seven matches due to a lower back injury. Ishan Kishan captained during that stretch and impressed enough to be considered a genuine long-term captaincy candidate. When Cummins returned, SRH surged into the playoffs.
In the Eliminator against RR, Jofra Archer dismissed SRH’s top three inside the powerplay. Sooryavanshi‘s 97 off 29 balls then put the match beyond reach. SRH’s bowling unit simply had no answer. That match perfectly captured the franchise’s core problem: world-class batting, insufficient bowling depth.
Pat Cummins Could Skip IPL 2027: What It Means for SRH
This is the story that changes everything for SRH. Pat Cummins told the Sydney Morning Herald in June 2026 that he is likely to skip IPL 2027 to prioritize Australia’s packed international schedule.
What Cummins Said
Cummins stated: “Something has got to give at some stage next year, and it’s not going to be Test matches or an ODI World Cup. I will make a call a lot closer and work with the franchise to see what makes sense.”
He also mentioned that Australia may need to manage the workloads of their frontline pacers, including Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, ahead of the Ashes. This raises a broader question about Australian fast bowlers’ IPL availability in 2027.
Australia’s 2027 Schedule: Why Something Has to Give
| Event | Timeline | Priority Level |
|---|---|---|
| Border-Gavaskar Trophy (5 Tests in India) | January-March 2027 | Highest |
| 150th Anniversary Test vs England | March 2027 | Highest |
| IPL 2027 season | March-May 2027 | Negotiable |
| Ashes (away in England) | June-August 2027 | Highest |
| ODI World Cup (South Africa/Zimbabwe/Namibia) | October-November 2027 | Highest |
Cummins has not fully ruled out playing. However, his language strongly suggests he will prioritize Tests and the ODI World Cup. The precedent supports this: he skipped IPL 2023 entirely for similar workload reasons.
What Happens to SRH if Cummins Opts Out
If Cummins skips IPL 2027, SRH face three immediate problems:
First, a captaincy vacuum. Ishan Kishan is the obvious replacement after leading the side for seven matches in IPL 2026. However, Kishan’s future at SRH is complicated by trade speculation linking him to MI.
Second, a ₹18 crore salary slot opens up. SRH could use this to sign a replacement overseas fast bowler or invest in their bowling depth, the weakness Tom Moody identified.
Third, the bowling attack loses its leader. Cummins anchored SRH’s pace unit, and without him, the franchise relies heavily on Brydon Carse, Harshal Patel, and emerging uncapped quicks like Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain.
Ishan Kishan to MI: Why SRH Are Unlikely to Let Him Go
Social media posts have claimed that MI contacted SRH about a trade involving either Hardik Pandya or Suryakumar Yadav heading to Hyderabad in exchange for Ishan Kishan and one bowler.
The Sunday Guardian Live fact-checked these claims and found them to originate from unverified X accounts with no credible sourcing.
Why SRH Will Fight to Keep Kishan
Three factors make Kishan almost untouchable for SRH:
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Captaincy insurance | If Cummins skips IPL 2027, Kishan becomes the obvious captain. SRH cannot afford to lose their backup leader. |
| IPL 2026 form | 602 runs in 15 matches at an average of 40.13. He carried SRH through the first half when Cummins sat out. |
| T20 World Cup 2026 form | Kishan carried outstanding international form into the IPL. His confidence and match awareness are at career-high levels. |
Even if MI offer a blockbuster deal, SRH’s strategic position makes trading Kishan extremely risky. Losing both Cummins (to workload) and Kishan (to trade) in the same window would gut the franchise’s leadership structure entirely.
SRH and Hardik Pandya: No Interest Shown
For clarity, SRH have shown zero interest in trading for Hardik Pandya. A Times of India report from July 1, 2026 confirmed that SRH and RCB are the only two franchises that have NOT approached MI about Pandya.
This makes strategic sense. SRH already have Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Kumar Reddy as Indian all-round options, and adding Pandya’s ₹16.35 crore salary would further squeeze their bowling budget, which is the area they actually need to strengthen.
SRH’s Real Trade Priority: Fixing the Bowling
If SRH enter the trade market at all, their focus should be on bowling reinforcements. The franchise’s IPL 2026 squad exposed a clear imbalance: elite batting, average bowling.
Current Bowling Resources
| Bowler | Type | IPL 2026 Salary | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pat Cummins | Overseas Pace | ₹18 Cr | May skip IPL 2027 entirely |
| Brydon Carse | Overseas Pace | ₹3.40 Cr | England duties may also create availability issues |
| Harshal Patel | Indian Pace/AR | ₹8 Cr | Experienced; death-overs specialist |
| Eshan Malinga | Overseas Pace | ₹2 Cr | 20 wickets in IPL 2026; breakout star |
| Praful Hinge | Indian Pace | ₹0.30 Cr | Uncapped; impressive in debut season |
| Sakib Hussain | Indian Pace | ₹0.30 Cr | Uncapped; emerging talent |
If Cummins’ ₹18 crore becomes available, SRH could target a proven Indian or overseas fast bowler through a trade or the mini-auction. The franchise needs at least one more reliable wicket-taker to complement Eshan Malinga and Harshal Patel.
SRH’s Previous IPL Trades
Sunrisers Hyderabad made one significant trade ahead of IPL 2026, moving Mohammed Shami to LSG:
| Season | Player | Direction | Trade Partner | Deal Value | Deal Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2026 | Mohammed Shami | OUT | Lucknow Super Giants | ₹10 Cr | All-cash |
The Shami trade freed up purse room for SRH to sign Liam Livingstone (₹13 Cr), Jack Edwards (₹3 Cr), and Shivam Mavi at the 2026 mini-auction. If Cummins opts out, SRH may need a similar trade-and-reinvest strategy for IPL 2027.
IPL 2027 Auction and Trade Window Timeline
The trade window remains open. Here is the expected timeline for IPL 2027:
| Event | Expected Timeline | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Trade window opens | Already open (June 2026) | Active |
| BCCI retention/auction framework | End of July 2026 | Pending |
| Retention window opens | Mid-September 2026 | Pending |
| Retention window closes | Third week of October 2026 | Pending |
| IPL 2027 mega auction | Third week of November 2026 | Pending |
The only confirmed IPL 2027 trade so far involves Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants (Rishabh Pant for Kuldeep Yadav). SRH have no confirmed trades yet.
Cummins’ final decision on IPL participation is expected closer to the retention deadline.
What to Expect Next
SRH have now gone much further in fixing this area. On top of the T Natarajan trade, the four-player swap with CSK brings in Khaleel Ahmed and Nathan Ellis, giving the side a left-arm new-ball option and a specialist death bowler.
Together, these moves rebuild an attack that lacked control at both ends of the innings in 2026, and they do it before SRH even reach the auction.
Quick FAQs
SRH made two confirmed trades. They swapped Liam Livingstone (₹6 crore) and Jack Edwards (₹3 crore) to CSK in return for Khaleel Ahmed (₹4.8 crore) and Nathan Ellis (₹2 crore), and earlier brought in T Natarajan from Delhi Capitals for ₹5 crore while sending Zeeshan Ansari to DC for ₹40 lakh. All were two-way, all-cash trades completed before the IPL 2027 mega auction.
Uncertain. Cummins told the Sydney Morning Herald that “something has got to give” in his 2027 schedule, and IPL is the most likely casualty. He has not formally opted out yet and says he will communicate with SRH closer to the season. He skipped IPL 2023 for similar reasons.
Ishan Kishan is the leading candidate. He captained SRH for seven matches during IPL 2026 when Cummins nursed a back injury, and delivered 602 runs that season. If Kishan stays, the captaincy transition would be seamless.
Unlikely. Social media claims about an MI-SRH swap deal lack credible sourcing. The Sunday Guardian Live fact-checked these rumours and found no verified reports. With Kishan potentially becoming captain if Cummins opts out, SRH have every reason to hold onto him.
No. A Times of India report from July 1, 2026 confirmed that SRH and RCB are the only two franchises that have not approached MI about Pandya.
Bowling depth. Former SRH coach Tom Moody criticised the franchise for pouring money into batting while leaving the bowling unit underfunded. Only Eshan Malinga (20 wickets) made a significant impact with the ball in IPL 2026.
The BCCI plans to hold the IPL 2027 mega auction in the third week of November 2026, likely in Mumbai or Dubai.
It was a four-player, two-way, all-cash swap. SRH sent Liam Livingstone and Jack Edwards to CSK and received Khaleel Ahmed and Nathan Ellis in return, strengthening their bowling while CSK added batting depth.
