&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "IPL Retention Day: Arjun Tendulkar traded to LSG, Mayank Markande returns to MI ahead of 2026 auction")
Arjun Tendulkar has officially moved from the Mumbai Indians (MI) to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as part of a pre–IPL 2026 mini-auction trade. While MI had to release the left-arm pacer, they strengthened their squad by bringing back leg-spinner Mayank Markande through a swap deal with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Arjun was first bought by MI for ₹20 lakh during the IPL 2021 mini-auction but did not feature in any game that year.
MI picked him again for ₹30 lakh in the 2022 mega-auction, and he finally made his IPL debut in 2023, finishing with three wickets from four matches. With Hardik Pandya taking over captaincy in IPL 2024, Arjun played only a single match that season. In the IPL 2025 mega-auction, he initially remained unsold but was later picked up once more by MI at his base price of ₹30 lakh in the accelerated round. He spent the entire 2025 season on the bench without any appearances.
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Meanwhile, Mayank Markande returns to MI at the same ₹30 lakh fee for which KKR acquired him in 2025. The leg-spinner reunites with the franchise where he began his IPL career, having represented MI in 2018, 2019, and 2022—including being part of their 2019 title-winning squad. Over the years, he also played for Rajasthan Royals in 2021 and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Markande has picked 37 wickets from as many IPL matches. His standout season came in 2018 with MI, where he took 15 wickets in 14 games at an average of 24.53, including a career-best 4/23.
