After representing five IPL franchises, Indian gun pacer Mohammed Shami is all set to represent his sixth franchise as he is traded to Lucknow Super Giants from Sunrisers Hyderabad in an all-cash deal. It is confirmed by ESPN Cricinfo that LSG paid INR 10 crore to steal the deal. As reported by espncricinfo, both franchises have agreed in principle on the trade, with Shami's consent.
Sidelines from the Indian team
Shami, who is now aged 35, has not worn the Indian jersey since the Champions Trophy final in March. He was also not picked for the home Test series against West Indies in October and the ongoing two-Test series against South Africa. Shami described the phase as a difficult one. Shami was also not considered in the squad for the England Series.
Forgettable 2025 season for Shami
IPL 2025 was a forgettable season for Shami. He was only able to play 9 matches and took six wickets with an average of 56.16, with an economy rate of 11.23, and his economy rate in the home venue of Hyderabad was a depressing one, which rose to 12.35. In a match against the Punjab Kings, he remained wicketless and conceded 75 runs, the second-most expensive spell in IPL history. It is understood that the SRH think tank, led by Daniel Vettori, is unhappy with Shami’s rhythm, and they want to revamp their fast bowling unit as well as the Lucknow Super Giants.
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Lucknow already traded Shardul Thakur to the Mumbai Indians and acquired Arjun Tendulkar from them. Their young fast bowling core didn’t help them much in the 2025 season, and also players like Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, and Mayank Yadav are going through a serious injury recovery process. Shami’s addition will also bring experience to the table.
Rejoining with Bharat Arun
Shami is now playing for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy and has already taken 15 wickets in three matches. His joining LSG represents a reunion with former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, who is now the head of talent development at the franchise. Arun played a crucial role in the development of one of the most successful bowling units in India over the last decade, having worked closely with bowlers including Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj.
The IPL retention event is going to take place tomorrow; the trade week has already given so many shocking revelations. Fans will be eager to see the lists, and the teams will be looking forward to doing the job mostly before the IPL auction 2026, which is going to take place on 16th December in Abu Dhabi.
