All Eyes on Jadeja Ahead of IPL 2026 Retentions; Shastri Backs All-Rounder Amid Trade Buzz

The retention list for IPL 2026 will be released by the evening of November 15th. It remains to be seen which players the franchises release. All eyes will be on Ravindra Jadeja during this period. This Indian star all-rounder, who has long been associated with Chennai Super Kings, is expected to shift to Rajasthan Royals. This will be a big career move for 37-year-old Jadeja, who has already retired from international T20 cricket, because he has been with the Chennai Super Kings since 2012, except for two years when the franchise was suspended.

The last few IPL seasons have been significant for Ravindra Jadeja. He was appointed captain. However, he was later removed from the position and has often faced mixed reactions from the Chennai crowd, who celebrate MS Dhoni's arrival at the crease. Amidst all this, Jadeja appears ready to move forward, and former India head coach Ravi Shastri agrees.

During Jadeja's first over in India's Test match against South Africa at Eden Gardens, commentator Harsha Bhogle questioned his trade, asking if off-field events might have affected his focus on cricket. Ravi Shastri dismissed such doubts, emphasizing that a player of Jadeja's caliber knows how to focus on the game.

Ravi Shastri said that these discussions are mostly for outsiders. People are curious about his next destination and his earnings. Jadeja has always known where he wants to go. He has been very clear and focused on cricket. All the outside noise is meaningless. There is always noise in India. You know what you want and what is coming. He is a very experienced and high-class cricketer. His performance in England, scoring over 500 runs in the series, speaks volumes.