Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have officially secured a mid-season swap for the rest of the IPL 2026 season. The changes come after top bowlers Khaleel Ahmed and Nuwan Thushara were ruled out due to completely contrasting and dramatic circumstances.
To bolster their bowling attack ahead of the crucial business end of the tournament, Chennai Super Kings have roped in home-grown medium pacer Kuldip Yadav for a fee of Rs 30 crore. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru decided to strengthen their squad by signing veteran England fast bowler Richard Gleeson for an impressive amount of Rs 1.6 crore.
WHO ARE KULDIP YADAV, RICHARD GLEESON?
Kuldip Yadav is the domestic medium pacer who made his first foray into the cash-rich league when he made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals in 2021. Although he has limited experience under the high pressure of the tournament, having appeared in just three games for the Rajasthan franchise, Chennai Super Kings will look to utilize his skills as a vital option for the team.
On the other handd, Richard Gleeson brings a wealth of international and franchise experience to the Bengaluru camp. The England quick has represented his country in six T20 Internationals, taking nine wickets. Crucially, Gleeson is no stranger to the intense environment of the Indian Premier League. He has previous experience representing both Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians during the 2024 and 2025 editions of the league, in two matches for Chennai and one match for Mumbai.
WHAT HAPPENED TO KHALEEL, THUSHARA
The need for Chennai Super Kings to dip into the spare parts market arose after their prominent left-arm spinner Khaleel Ahmed was sidelined. Khaleel has been officially ruled out of the rest of IPL 2026 after picking up a serious injury during the side’s high-octane clash against Kolkata Knight Riders in Chepauk on 14 April.
The injury struck during a crucial phase of the match and immediately set off alarm bells within the Chennai backwaters. It has since been revealed that Khaleel has suffered a serious quadriceps injury that will require extensive rehabilitation, dealing a huge blow to a franchise that has relied heavily on him for early breakthroughs.
At Bengaluru camp, departure Sri Lankan fast bowler Nuwan Thushara is coming with a completely different kind of drama. Thushara has officially withdrawn his legal case against Sri Lanka cricket, abruptly ending the controversy over his participation in the 2026 IPL.
Temper had earlier dragged the national board to the Colombo District Court after the SLC denied him the mandatory No Objection Certificate required to play in overseas leagues. The board blocked his path after he failed the newly introduced fitness criteria, namely a mandatory 2km run test.
Takhara initially claimed that the decision was unfair to his career, particularly affecting his Rs 1.60 crore contract with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. With the vast majority of the IPL season already over, his legal team advised the court that there was no practical benefit in continuing the battle.
The court subsequently rejected the motion, after which Thomhara apologized
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
15 May 2026 14:59 IST
