What is the IPL loan system? The topic of player loans is being widely discussed during IPL 2026. What is this loan process, and what are the associated conditions?
What are the rules for taking loan in IPL?
The series of player injuries continues in IPL 2026. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings is also facing a major problem. The team's opening batsman, Ayush Mhatre, has been ruled out for the entire season due to injury. Mhatre's injury is a major blow to CSK, as he had scored 201 runs in six matches. Meanwhile, discussions have begun that Chennai should take a player on loan from RCB.
This advice actually comes from former cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin. He said that the loan window for IPL 2026 ends after the seventh match, and it would be best if Chennai took wicketkeeper-batsman Abhigyan Kundu on loan from RCB before that. But what is the loan process, and can a player in cricket be transferred from one team to another on loan? Here's what the full rules are.
What are the rules for taking loan in IPL?
This loan system was originally introduced in 2018 only for uncapped players. Players who didn't get a full season could transfer to another team mid-season to play. In 2019, this rule was extended to capped players as well.
A loan player can only move to another team for one season. Ashwin's advice is that if Abhigyan Kundu moves from RCB to Chennai Super Kings, he will only be with Chennai until the final match of IPL 2026 and will rejoin Bengaluru in IPL 2027.
Terms and conditions related to the loan system
This loan system can only be implemented if its conditions are fully met. First, an agreement must be reached between the three parties: the team that buys the player at auction, the team that takes the player on loan, and the player himself.
Another condition is that the player's original team, meaning Abhigyan Kundu, must have played only two or fewer matches for RCB before he can join CSK.
If we take the example of Abhigyan Kundu, then when there will be a match between Bengaluru and Chennai in IPL 2026, Abhigyan will not be able to play in it.
