Fast bowler Avesh Khan is set to move to Rajasthan Royals from Lucknow Super Giants, who will acquire top-order batsman Devdutt Padikkal in a straight trade swap ahead of IPL 2024. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the franchises and players have agreed on the exchange. last week and the BCCI is set to put a seal on the swap this week.
Avesh, who is part of India’s squad for the T20I series against Australia starting Thursday, was bought by Super Giants in the 2022 mega auction for INR 10 crore (approximately $1.2 million). Meanwhile, the royals paid Rs 7.75 million (approximately US$945,000) for Padikkal. Both players were retained by their respective franchises this year.
Despite bright starts to their IPL careers, both players had a tough time in 2023.
It was especially disappointing for Padikkal, who, despite playing every game for his team in 2022 (17) and 11 games in 2023, struggled to fulfill the top-tier role the Royals had assigned him. In 28 matches in these two seasons, Padikkal scored 637 runs at an average of 23.59 and a strike rate of 125.88 with only three half-centuries. Overall, Padikkal has scored 2768 runs in 92 IPL games at 33.34 with 17 fifties and three centuries at 133.52.
Super Giants will be the third franchise for Padikkal, who began his IPL journey with his hometown franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he spent two seasons (2020 and 21).
For Avesh too, Royals will be the third franchise after his debut in Delhi Capitals: in 2021, he was the second highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 24 wickets at 18.75. After Capitals released him ahead of the mega auction, Super Giants made a strong bid to buy Avesh in a four-way bidding war. He finished the 2022 season as the Super Giants’ highest wicket-taker, helping them reach the playoffs in their inaugural IPL season.
However, on the slow and unprepared pitches of Lucknow, Avesh struggled in 2023. Failing to complete his full quota of four overs in five of the nine games he played, Avesh finished the 2023 season with just eight wickets at 35.37, with an economy. of 9.75.
Avesh, who turns 27 in December, will be hungry to regain his confidence at the Royals, whose Indian fast bowling squad includes Prasidh Krishna, Navdeep Saini and Kuldeep Sen.
