Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad completed a four-player trade on November 5, 2026, ahead of the IPL 2027 auction. England all-rounder Liam Livingstone and Australian pacer Jack Edwards moved to CSK, while left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed and fast bowler Nathan Ellis headed in the opposite direction to SRH.
The financial terms of the deal saw Livingstone join CSK at a reduced valuation of INR 6 crore, down from the INR 13 crore at which SRH had originally acquired him. Edwards arrived at CSK on an existing contract worth INR 3 crore, while Khaleel moved to SRH at INR 4.8 crore and Ellis at INR 2 crore.
Reacting to the trade, former India captain Kris Srikkanth was sharply critical of CSK’s decision, arguing that Sunrisers Hyderabad had come away with the better end of the arrangement ahead of IPL 2027.
Why did Srikkanth question CSK’s decision to acquire Jack Edwards?
Srikkanth’s sharpest criticism was directed at the inclusion of Jack Edwards in the deal. The Australian right-arm pacer made his international debut in January 2026 and claimed a five-wicket haul in the second ODI against South Africa in Johannesburg. However, he was ruled out of IPL 2026 with a foot injury before he could feature for SRH, and he also missed the One-Day Cup domestic final due to a separate injury. Srikkanth questioned the logic of CSK bringing in a bowler with such a limited and interrupted record at the top level.
“Why Jack Edwards? He is an ordinary bowler. I am okay with CSK giving away Khaleel Ahmed as he’s nothing great. This trade is a better one for SRH. Personally, I think Livingstone is a good cricketer if utilised well. But how he fits in with CSK is a big question mark. CSK should release Matt Short, who is a waste, and see if Livingstone can be an upgrade for him,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
Does Srikkanth believe Livingstone can make a meaningful impact at CSK?
Livingstone arrives at CSK as an experienced T20 campaigner. Across 51 IPL appearances, he has scored over 1,000 runs at a strike rate in excess of 155. In international cricket, he has represented England in more than 100 matches and accumulated over 1,500 runs.
He was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru side that won the IPL title in 2025, and CSK will be his fifth IPL franchise. Despite those credentials, Srikkanth raised serious doubts about how Livingstone would fit into the Chennai setup, pointing to the team’s existing overseas options and Edwards’ domestic record as reasons for his scepticism.
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“CSK already have three sure starters among their overseas players in Dewald Brevis, Noor Ahmad and Jamie Overton. So Livingstone can only be the fourth option, and even there, CSK could go with Akeal Hosein. It’s a very confusing trade and not a convincing trade for CSK. Will CSK benefit from this? It’s a big question mark. I am not convinced by Edwards either, and his domestic track record is also nothing great. So this trade definitely favors SRH,” Srikkanth added.
On the other side of the deal, Khaleel Ahmed returns to a franchise he represented between 2018 and 2021. He played 15 matches for CSK in IPL 2025, taking 14 wickets, before a quadriceps injury cut short his IPL 2026 campaign after just five appearances. Nathan Ellis, meanwhile, was ruled out of IPL 2026 with a hamstring injury. SRH now add both bowlers to their squad ahead of the IPL 2027 auction.
