IPL 2024: Lucknow Super Giants trade Avesh Khan for Devdutt Padikkal ahead of mini auction

The auction for the IPL 2024 is just a month away as all ten franchises are releasing and trading players ahead of the big day. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) also jumped onto the bandwagon ahead of the next season as fast bowler Avesh Khan is all set to move to Rajasthan in exchange of top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal.

Both the franchises and players have agreed on the trade and the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is set to approve it in the coming days. Notably, Avesh was bought by LSG for INR 10 crore in the mega auction in 2022 while Paddikal was bought for INR 7.75 crore by RR. Both players were retained by their franchises for the 2023 season, however, the duo didn’t have a good season.

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In 28 matches played from the 2022 season onwards, Padikkal has scored 637 runs at an average of 23.59 and a strike rate of 125.88 with just three half-centuries. In the 57 matches played in his IPL career, the 23-year-old has scored 1521 runs at an average of 26.10 and a strike rate of 125.39 with one hundred and nine fifties to his name.

On the other hand, Avesh had a great season in 2021 for Delhi Capitals as he was the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 24 wickets at an average of 18.75. After being bought by LSG in the 2022 season, he further finished as the highest wicket-taker for his side with 18 wickets from 13 games.

However, he couldn’t replicate his performance in the 2023 season where he could only pick just eight wickets from nine matches at an average of 35.37 and an economy of 9.75. The 27-year-old will be eager to turn things around in the upcoming season at Rajasthan where he will join other Indian pacers such as Prasidh Krishna, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Sandeem Sharma and KM Asif.

LSG traded Romario Shepherd to Mumbai Indians earlier

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Meanwhile, it’s just the second trade ahead of the next IPL season as LSG traded Romario Shepherd to Mumbai Indians earlier this month. Notably, all ten franchises have a deadline of November 26 to announce their list of retentions ahead of the auction scheduled to take place on take place in Dubai on December 19.