The Indian Premier League has witnessed some of the most surprising player exchanges in history. While some of the transfers have helped teams a great deal, others have left people bewildered. Here are some of the most surprising trades in IPL history that caught the cricketing world off guard.

Ravichandran Ashwin to Delhi Capitals

Ravichandran Ashwin was one of the most important players for Kings XI Punjab during his captaincy tenure. His experience and leadership played a central role in determining the performances of the team. However, before the 2020 season, Punjab chose to sell him to Delhi Capitals for Jagadeesha Suchith and another amount of money. Fans were left shocked by the decision because Ashwin was Punjab's most consistent player, and losing him created a gap in the team.

Shikhar Dhawan's Return to Delhi Capitals

Shikhar Dhawan began his IPL career with Delhi but became an IPL legend in his years with Sunrisers Hyderabad. His opener's consistency and his capacity to anchor innings made him one of the most valuable players in the league. In the run-up to the 2019 season, Sunrisers Hyderabad surprised everyone by trading Dhawan to Delhi Capitals in exchange for three players: Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem, and Abhishek Sharma. Most people felt that Hyderabad didn't receive fair return for a player of the quality of Dhawan.

Ajinkya Rahane to Delhi Capitals

Ajinkya Rahane was the face of the Rajasthan Royals for several years and even captained the side. Known for his elegant stroke play and dependable batting, Rahane was an integral part of the Royals' setup. But ahead of the 2020 season, he was traded to Delhi Capitals, a move that surprised many. Rajasthan let go of one of their most experienced batsmen, and Rahane struggled to find a permanent spot in Delhi’s playing XI.

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Trent Boult to the Mumbai Indians

Trent Boult was Delhi Capitals' match-winner due to his knack of swinging the new ball and picking wickets early. Delhi shocked all by trading Boult to Mumbai Indians at the start of the 2020 season. Delhi got it wrong as Boult was a key player for Mumbai in their title-winning season that season, when he formed an explosive new-ball combination with Jasprit Bumrah.

Quinton de Kock to the Mumbai Indians

Quinton de Kock's transfer from Royal Challengers Bangalore to Mumbai Indians prior to the 2019 season was another headline-grabber. De Kock had been a consistent performer for RCB, but they opted to release him for an unspecified amount of money. Mumbai gained hugely from the transfer as the South African wicket-keeper batsman was instrumental in helping them win IPL titles in 2019 and 2020.

Harshal Patel and Daniel Sams to Royal Challengers Bangalore

Delhi Capitals did it once more with an unexpected move when they traded Daniel Sams and Harshal Patel to Royal Challengers Bangalore before the 2021 season. Though Sams made little difference, Harshal Patel was a game-changer. He went on to claim the Purple Cap for the most wickets in the season and was one of the greatest trade pickups in the history of IPL.

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The IPL's trading system has never been consistent, and it has resulted in moves that have left fans and analysts alike amazed. While there are trades that turn out great for teams, others become mistakes that they would wish they had not made. As IPL franchises keep plotting and reshaping their teams, surprising trades will continue to be part of the league's always-dramatic story.