CSK-SRH Trade: Livingstone and Edwards Join Chennai for IPL 2027

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have completed a four-player trade ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2027 retention deadline, with England all-rounder Liam Livingstone and Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards moving to Chennai. In exchange, India left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed and Australian fast bowler Nathan Ellis will join Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The high-profile trade, announced by both franchises on November 5, sees Livingstone take a significant pay cut to join CSK. The England international’s fee has been reduced from Rs 13 crore to Rs 6 crore. Edwards will move for his existing fee of Rs 3 crore, while Khaleel and Ellis have been traded at Rs 4.8 crore and Rs 2 crore, respectively.

The deal gives both franchises an opportunity to address specific squad requirements before the IPL 2027 season. CSK have added a powerful middle-order batting option, while SRH have strengthened their pace-bowling resources with two experienced IPL campaigners.

Details of the CSK-SRH four-player trade

The trade involves four players changing franchises, with two overseas players moving in each direction. Livingstone and Edwards will represent Chennai Super Kings, while Khaleel and Ellis will become part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad.

• Liam Livingstone: Moves from SRH to CSK for a revised fee of Rs 6 crore, reduced from Rs 13 crore.
• Jack Edwards: Moves from SRH to CSK for Rs 3 crore.
• Khaleel Ahmed: Moves from CSK to SRH for Rs 4.8 crore.
• Nathan Ellis: Moves from CSK to SRH for Rs 2 crore.

Two of the players involved in the deal had limited opportunities in the previous season because of injuries. Edwards missed IPL 2026 with a foot injury and is yet to make his debut in the tournament. Ellis did not feature for CSK in the previous season after suffering a hamstring injury, while Khaleel managed only five appearances before being ruled out with a similar injury.

Livingstone, meanwhile, played just two matches for SRH in IPL 2026. He spent much of the season on the bench, with Heinrich Klaasen occupying the middle-order role for the Hyderabad-based franchise.

Who gains what from the CSK-SRH trade?

Sunrisers Hyderabad appear to have used the trade to reshape their bowling attack. Livingstone had largely been a backup option with Klaasen established in the middle order, while Edwards had yet to play an IPL match. By moving both players, SRH have brought in Khaleel and Ellis, adding two international pace-bowling options to their squad.

Khaleel’s arrival gives SRH a left-arm fast-bowling option. His previous experience with the franchise also makes the move a homecoming. However, SRH have already added another left-arm pacer, T Natarajan, through a trade with Delhi Capitals. The presence of Natarajan, Khaleel and Eshan Malinga gives the team several options when planning its pace attack.

Ellis could strengthen SRH’s plans for the death overs. The Australian has experience of bowling in the final stages of T20 innings and has previously played for Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings. SRH also have Eshan Malinga, Natarajan and Sakib Hussain among their pace-bowling options.

For CSK, Livingstone addresses a potential requirement in the middle order. The England all-rounder is known for his ability to hit boundaries and provide an attacking option against both pace and spin. His addition could give Chennai another player capable of changing the momentum of an innings.

CSK had Matthew Short in their squad last season, but he could not make a significant contribution in his limited opportunities. Dewald Brevis also had an inconsistent campaign. Livingstone’s arrival gives the franchise another option as it looks to strengthen its middle-order batting resources.

However, the role of Edwards in Chennai’s plans remains uncertain. The Australian all-rounder could provide backup for England all-rounder Jamie Overton, although he will first need to make his IPL debut and establish himself in the competition.

Liam Livingstone’s IPL record

CSK will become the fifth IPL franchise of Liam Livingstone. The England all-rounder has previously represented several teams in the competition and was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad that won the IPL title in 2025.

Livingstone has played 51 IPL matches, scoring 1,066 runs in 49 innings at an average of 25.38. His strike rate is above 155, reflecting his attacking approach in the middle order. He has also registered seven half-centuries in the tournament.

His ability to clear the boundary and contribute with the ball makes him a versatile option. At CSK, he could be used as an aggressive middle-order batter, with his role potentially depending on the team’s combination and match conditions.

The reduction in his fee from Rs 13 crore to Rs 6 crore is one of the notable aspects of the trade. The move also gives Livingstone an opportunity to seek a more regular role after making only two appearances for SRH in the previous season.

Nathan Ellis’ IPL record

Nathan Ellis made his IPL debut for Punjab Kings in 2021. He received a longer run during the 2023 season, when he picked up 13 wickets. The Australian fast bowler later joined Chennai Super Kings and featured in one match for the franchise in IPL 2025.

Ellis was ruled out of the 2026 edition because of a hamstring injury and did not make an appearance for CSK during the season. He has taken 19 wickets in 17 IPL matches at an average of 28.73, including a four-wicket haul. His economy rate stands at 8.66 runs per over.

His move to SRH gives the franchise another overseas pace option. Ellis’ previous experience in the IPL could be useful as Hyderabad assess their bowling combinations, particularly for the closing overs of an innings.

Khaleel Ahmed returns to Sunrisers Hyderabad

Khaleel Ahmed’s move to SRH marks a return to a franchise he represented for four seasons earlier in his IPL career. The left-arm pacer subsequently played for Delhi Capitals before joining Chennai Super Kings.

Khaleel has featured in 76 IPL matches and taken 91 wickets at an average of 27.18. His economy rate is close to nine runs per over. The left-arm angle gives him a different option compared with right-arm fast bowlers, while his previous experience with SRH could help him settle back into the squad.

His IPL 2026 campaign with CSK was interrupted by a hamstring injury. He managed only five matches before being ruled out. SRH will hope he can return to full fitness and contribute more consistently in the upcoming season.

Jack Edwards’ T20 record and IPL prospects

Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards is yet to make his IPL debut. The 26-year-old was signed by SRH ahead of the previous season but missed IPL 2026 because of a foot injury. His move to CSK will provide him with another opportunity to make his first appearance in the tournament.

Edwards made his T20 International debut against Pakistan earlier in 2026. Apart from Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), he has played in only one other T20 franchise competition, representing Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket (MLC).

Across 82 T20 matches, Edwards has taken 58 wickets at an average of 24.25. His record includes one five-wicket haul and one four-wicket haul, while his economy rate is approximately 8.5 runs per over.

With the bat, Edwards has scored 865 runs in 61 innings at an average of 15.44 and a strike rate of 120.30. His highest T20 score is 47, and he is yet to register a half-century in the format.

CSK’s exact plans for Edwards are not yet clear. He could be considered as a backup option for Jamie Overton, but his place in the playing XI will depend on his fitness, performances and the team’s overseas-player combination.

Could Nathan Ellis’ arrival indicate Pat Cummins’ IPL 2027 exit?

Ellis’ arrival has also raised questions about the availability of Australia captain Pat Cummins for IPL 2027. Cummins has previously indicated that he may skip the next edition of the tournament to prioritise international cricket and manage his workload.

Australia have a demanding international schedule, including a Test series against New Zealand, the 2027 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India and the MCG anniversary Test. The schedule also includes the 2027 Ashes series in England, while Australia will look to defend their ODI World Cup title in South Africa.

Managing his workload across these commitments could influence Cummins’ decision regarding IPL participation. However, his absence from the 2027 edition has not been confirmed, and Ellis’ signing alone does not establish that the Australian captain will leave the SRH squad.

If Cummins does not participate, Ishan Kishan could emerge as a leading captaincy option. Kishan led SRH during the first half of IPL 2026 when Cummins was unavailable. Ellis would also provide another overseas fast-bowling option if the franchise needs to adjust its combination.

SRH updated squad after the trade

Following the player movements, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s updated squad includes the following players:

Pat Cummins (captain), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Aniket Verma, Smaran Ravichandran, Salil Arora, Kamindu Mendis, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse, Eshan Malinga, Jaydev Unadkat, Shivam Mavi, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge, Onkar Tarmale, Amit Kumar and Krains Fuletra.

Replacement players: David Payne, RS Ambrish, Gerald Coetzee and Dilshan Madushanka.

Players traded in: Liam Livingstone, Nathan Ellis and T Natarajan.

Khaleel Ahmed and Jack Edwards are no longer part of the SRH squad following the latest trade.

CSK updated squad after the trade

Chennai Super Kings’ updated squad includes the following players:

Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Sanju Samson, MS Dhoni, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, Sarfaraz Khan, Kartik Sharma, Urvil Patel, Ayush Mhatre, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Zakary Foulkes, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary, Noor Ahmad, Shreyas Gopal, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rahul Chahar, Matt Henry and Akeal Hosein.

Replacement players: Spencer Johnson, Akash Madhwal, Macneil Noronha, Kuldip Yadav and Dian Forrester.

Players traded in: Liam Livingstone and Jack Edwards.

Khaleel Ahmed and Nathan Ellis have moved out of the CSK squad as part of the four-player agreement.

IPL 2027 retention deadline and mini-auction date

Franchises will have to submit their lists of retained and released players by November 17 ahead of the IPL 2027 season. The deadline will give teams an opportunity to finalise their core squads and assess which positions still need to be strengthened.

The IPL 2027 mini-auction is scheduled to take place on December 16 in Goa. With the CSK-SRH trade now completed, both franchises will continue preparing their squads before the retention deadline and the auction.