Former India all-rounder Vijay Shankar will turn out for Kandy Royals in the 2026 Lanka Premier League (LPL), taking the franchise’s single “overseas star” slot. The deal comes barely a week after the 33-year-old drew a line under his Indian domestic and IPL career, saying he wanted “to pursue new opportunities and play more cricket”.
Shankar joins a high-profile core at Kandy. England’s Moeen Ali has been listed as the overseas icon, while Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and Angelo Mathews fill the local icon and local star berths. The Royals, previously known as Kandy Tuskers, have history with Indian recruits: Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel featured in the league’s inaugural season back in 2020.
The 2026 campaign, the first LPL edition since 2024, starts on 17 July and finishes on 18 August. Sri Lanka Cricket shelved last year’s tournament to keep attention on preparations for the men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted with India earlier this month.
Elsewhere in the pre-draft window, Jaffna Kings – reigning champions from 2024 – snapped up Bangladesh pair Shakib Al Hasan and Taskin Ahmed. Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dunith Wellalage fill the Kings’ headline local slots. Colombo Kaps have opted for New Zealand’s James Neesham and Australia’s Ben McDermott to complement Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis. Dambulla Sixers selected Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan alongside South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks, while Galle Gallants made a single overseas splash with Rassie van der Dussen, adding him to a squad containing Dasun Shanaka and Eshan Malinga.
Player draft day falls on 1 June in Colombo, and final squads are expected soon after. One LPL official, speaking on background, reckons teams will keep at least two overseas spots free for late movers from other T20 circuits. That approach, the official said, “gives us flexibility if an established name suddenly becomes available after the English season winds up”.
For Shankar, meanwhile, the LPL offers a first look at life beyond the domestic grind in India. A solid tournament and he could yet carve out a second act on the global T20 circuit; an opportunity he has plainly set his sights on.
