
In a strategic move ahead of the IPL 2024 season, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) engaged in a direct swap, with young pacer Avesh Khan moving to RR, and RR’s opener Devdutt Padikkal joining LSG. The official statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday confirmed this player exchange.
Both players, retained by their respective franchises this year, faced a challenging IPL 2023 season. Padikkal, who joined RR in 2022, played 11 games in the last season, scoring 261 runs at an average of 26.10 and a strike rate of 130.50, managing only two half-centuries.
On the other hand, Avesh Khan, LSG’s leading wicket-taker in the 2022 season, experienced a downturn in form during IPL 2023. The young pacer struggled to replicate his earlier success, finishing the season with just eight wickets in nine matches and an economy of 9.75.
This trade marks the second such move for Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the 2024 season. Earlier this month, they traded Romario Shepherd to Mumbai Indians. With the deadline for retention lists extended to November 26, the IPL 2024 auction is scheduled to take place in Dubai on December 19.