T Natarajan returns to SRH for Rs 5 crore; Zeeshan Ansari joins DC
SRH bring back Natarajan at a reduced fee while DC add Ansari in a straight swap ahead of IPL 2027.
Sunrisers Hyderabad traded left-arm pacer T Natarajan back from Delhi Capitals for Rs 5 crore on Wednesday. DC received leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari at his existing fee of Rs 40 lakh in the swap. Natarajan had moved to Delhi for Rs 10.75 crore in the 2025 auction after five seasons with SRH from 2020 to 2024. He took 19 wickets in IPL 2024, the most by any SRH bowler that season. Ansari played 10 matches for Hyderabad last season and claimed six wickets. The trade adds depth to Delhi's spin attack after Kuldeep Yadav moved to Lucknow Super Giants in June. Natarajan has 72 wickets in 73 IPL matches with best figures of 4/19. The 35-year-old has also played one Test and two ODIs for India.
CricHubb Take
The pay cut Natarajan accepted shows how quickly a player's market value can shift when a franchise changes its bowling plans. Two seasons after paying Rs 10.75 crore, Delhi now values him at less than half that price.