Overview
- Vijay Shankar announced his retirement from Indian domestic cricket and the IPL on May 22 and was unveiled by the Lanka Premier League and Kandy Royals as a marquee overseas signing on May 26.
- Kandy Royals added Shankar to a marquee core that already includes Angelo Mathews, Wanindu Hasaranga and Moeen Ali as franchises lock in pre-draft squads ahead of the LPL season.
- The LPL 2026 season is scheduled to run from July 17 to August 8, and organisers have allowed limited pre-draft marquee moves while preparing for a player draft whose reported date varies between June 1 and July 1 in coverage.
- Shankar’s switch follows BCCI rules that prevent active Indian domestic or IPL players from taking part in overseas T20 leagues, a constraint players can address only by formally withdrawing from India’s domestic system.
- Tournament organisers say more than 650 overseas players registered for the LPL draft, a sign the league is positioning itself as a growing stop on the global franchise circuit and offering new career paths for experienced players.