T Natarajan suffers pay cut in player trade involving DC and SRH

The IPL 2027 season will witness another homecoming as T. Natarajan returns to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) following a player trade between SRH and Delhi Capitals (DC). While Natarajan heads back to Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals have acquired leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari in exchange. Ansari joins DC at his existing fee of INR 40 lakh, while Natarajan will take a significant pay cut as part of the move. 

Natarajan earned INR 10.75 crore while representing DC in IPL 2026, the same amount Delhi had paid to secure his services at the IPL 2025 auction. However, he will rejoin SRH at a revised fee of INR 5 crore, resulting in a salary reduction of INR 5.75 crore. 

The left-arm seamer's IPL 2025 campaign was cut short by a freak collarbone injury, restricting him to just one appearance in which he claimed a lone wicket. Returning for the 19th edition fully fit and eager to make an impact, he nevertheless struggled to deliver the performances expected of him.

Natarajan managed only five wickets in 10 matches for Delhi Capitals (DC), conceding runs at an economy rate of 11.18. His underwhelming returns appear to be a key factor behind DC's decision to part ways with the Tamil Nadu pacer.

The move marks a return to familiar surroundings for Natarajan, who represented Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for five seasons between 2020 and 2024. The 35-year-old is SRH's third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history, with 65 wickets from 55 matches, trailing only Rashid Khan (93 wickets) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (157 wickets).

Meanwhile, Ansari was signed by SRH for INR 40 lakh at the IPL 2025 auction. He picked up six wickets in 10 matches, averaging 55.50 at an economy rate of 9.84. However, those returns failed to convince the team management, and he subsequently spent the entire 19th edition of the tournament on the sidelines.