The IPL 2026 Released Players List became one of the biggest talking points ahead of the Indian Premier League’s mini-auction. Several franchises made important changes to their squads, releasing experienced international cricketers, established Indian players, and young talents to create room for fresh signings and strengthen their combinations for the new season.
The retention deadline for IPL 2026 was November 15, 2025, and the mini-auction was scheduled for December 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi. Among the most notable names released were Glenn Maxwell, Andre Russell, Faf du Plessis, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer, and David Miller. Some other high-profile players moved to different franchises through trades rather than ordinary releases.
IPL 2026 Released Players List
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Organising body | Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) |
| Participating teams | 10 |
| Retention deadline | November 15, 2025 |
| Mini-auction date | December 16, 2025 |
| Mini-auction venue | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
| Auction format | Mini-auction |
| Major released players | Glenn Maxwell, Andre Russell, Faf du Plessis, Venkatesh Iyer, David Miller |
| Major player trades | Ravindra Jadeja to Rajasthan Royals, Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings |
| Official release announcement | November 15, 2025 |
IPL 2026 Released Players List: All 10 Teams
The following list covers the players released or moved out by the ten franchises ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Players who were traded to another team are identified separately to avoid confusing a transfer with an auction release.
1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Released Players
Chennai Super Kings made some of the most significant squad changes ahead of IPL 2026. The franchise moved on from several overseas players and Indian squad members while also completing a major trade involving Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andre Siddarth | Released |
| 2 | Deepak Hooda | Released |
| 3 | Devon Conway | Released |
| 4 | Kamlesh Nagarkoti | Released |
| 5 | Matheesha Pathirana | Released |
| 6 | Rachin Ravindra | Released |
| 7 | Rahul Tripathi | Released |
| 8 | Shaik Rasheed | Released |
| 9 | Vansh Bedi | Released |
| 10 | Vijay Shankar | Released |
| 11 | Ravindra Jadeja | Traded to Rajasthan Royals |
| 12 | Sam Curran | Traded to Rajasthan Royals |
Biggest CSK surprise: The departure of Matheesha Pathirana and Devon Conway attracted attention because both had previously played important roles for Chennai. Ravindra Jadeja’s move was particularly significant given his long association with the franchise.
CSK’s changes created opportunities to rebuild the squad around captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni and the players retained before the auction.
2. Delhi Capitals (DC) Released Players
Delhi Capitals made changes to their overseas and domestic options as they prepared for the 2026 season. The franchise also used the trade window to bring Nitish Rana into its squad.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Faf du Plessis | Released |
| 2 | Jake Fraser-McGurk | Released |
| 3 | Manvanth Kumar | Released |
| 4 | Mohit Sharma | Released |
| 5 | Darshan Nalkande | Released |
| 6 | Sediqullah Atal | Released |
| 7 | Donovan Ferreira | Traded to Rajasthan Royals |
Biggest DC surprise: The release of Jake Fraser-McGurk was notable because of his reputation as an aggressive top-order batter. Faf du Plessis was another experienced name to leave the squad.
Delhi’s strategy focused on maintaining a strong Indian core while creating room for additional options in the auction. Donovan Ferreira’s transfer to Rajasthan Royals was a separate squad transaction.
3. Gujarat Titans (GT) Released Players
Gujarat Titans retained a large part of their established squad but released several players who had not secured permanent places in the team’s plans.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dasun Shanaka | Released |
| 2 | Gerald Coetzee | Released |
| 3 | Karim Janat | Released |
| 4 | Kulwant Khejroliya | Released |
| 5 | Mahipal Lomror | Released |
| 6 | Sherfane Rutherford | Traded to Mumbai Indians |
Biggest GT surprise: Gerald Coetzee’s release was notable because he is a fast bowler capable of generating pace and taking wickets. The franchise also made changes to its overseas all-rounder and batting options.
Gujarat continued to rely on its retained core, including Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, while opening places for additional auction signings.
4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Released Players
Kolkata Knight Riders made some of the most talked-about decisions before the IPL 2026 auction. The team released several overseas players and experienced campaigners, giving it considerable financial flexibility.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andre Russell | Released |
| 2 | Anrich Nortje | Released |
| 3 | Chetan Sakariya | Released |
| 4 | Luvnith Sisodia | Released |
| 5 | Moeen Ali | Released |
| 6 | Quinton de Kock | Released |
| 7 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Released |
| 8 | Spencer Johnson | Released |
| 9 | Venkatesh Iyer | Released |
Biggest KKR surprise: Andre Russell was one of the most significant names on the list. His explosive batting, powerful hitting and bowling contributions had made him closely associated with Kolkata’s success.
The release of Venkatesh Iyer was equally noteworthy. He had been an important batting option for the franchise, and his departure created an opportunity for Kolkata to reconsider its middle-order and all-rounder combinations.
KKR entered the auction with a reported ₹64.30 crore remaining purse, the largest among the ten teams, giving the franchise substantial flexibility to rebuild its squad.
5. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Released Players
Lucknow Super Giants made changes across their batting and bowling departments. Some players were released outright, while Shardul Thakur moved to Mumbai Indians through a trade.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akash Deep | Released |
| 2 | Aryan Juyal | Released |
| 3 | David Miller | Released |
| 4 | Rajvardhan Hangargekar | Released |
| 5 | Ravi Bishnoi | Released |
| 6 | Shamar Joseph | Released |
| 7 | Yuvraj Chaudhary | Released |
| 8 | Shardul Thakur | Traded to Mumbai Indians |
Biggest LSG surprise: David Miller’s departure was a major talking point because he is known for his finishing ability in T20 cricket. Ravi Bishnoi’s release also attracted attention because of his experience as a leg-spinner.
Lucknow retained a core featuring Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram. The franchise’s auction planning therefore centred on strengthening the remaining roles around its established players.
6. Mumbai Indians (MI) Released Players
Mumbai Indians released several players before IPL 2026 while retaining a strong group of established Indian internationals and overseas performers. The franchise also received Shardul Thakur and Sherfane Rutherford through trades.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bevon Jacobs | Released |
| 2 | Karn Sharma | Released |
| 3 | Lizaad Williams | Released |
| 4 | Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Released |
| 5 | Reece Topley | Released |
| 6 | Krishnan Shrijith | Released |
| 7 | Satyanarayana Raju | Released |
| 8 | Vignesh Puthur | Released |
| 9 | Arjun Tendulkar | Traded to Lucknow Super Giants |
Biggest MI surprise: The departures of several bowling options created room for adjustments to the squad’s bowling depth. Arjun Tendulkar’s move to Lucknow was a trade rather than an ordinary release.
Mumbai retained its central group, including Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Tilak Varma. However, its remaining auction purse of ₹2.75 crore meant the franchise had less spending flexibility than teams such as Kolkata and Chennai.
7. Punjab Kings (PBKS) Released Players
Punjab Kings retained 21 players, the highest number among the ten franchises before the auction. Its release list was therefore relatively short, but it included several experienced overseas cricketers.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glenn Maxwell | Released |
| 2 | Josh Inglis | Released |
| 3 | Aaron Hardie | Released |
| 4 | Kyle Jamieson | Released |
| 5 | Kuldeep Sen | Released |
| 6 | Praveen Dubey | Released |
Biggest PBKS surprise: Glenn Maxwell’s release was among the most discussed decisions before the mini-auction. Maxwell has long been recognised for his aggressive batting and off-spin, although his form and consistency have varied across seasons.
Josh Inglis was another notable departure, given his ability to bat aggressively and contribute as a wicketkeeper. Punjab retained Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal and several other key players, allowing it to concentrate on a smaller number of targeted additions.
8. Rajasthan Royals (RR) Released Players
Rajasthan Royals underwent significant changes, including a major trade arrangement involving Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran and Sanju Samson. The franchise also released several overseas and domestic players.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akash Madhwal | Released |
| 2 | Ashok Sharma | Released |
| 3 | Fazalhaq Farooqi | Released |
| 4 | Kumar Kartikeya Singh | Released |
| 5 | Kunal Singh Rathore | Released |
| 6 | Maheesh Theekshana | Released |
| 7 | Wanindu Hasaranga | Released |
| 8 | Sanju Samson | Traded to Chennai Super Kings |
| 9 | Nitish Rana | Traded to Delhi Capitals |
Biggest RR surprise: Sanju Samson’s departure was one of the biggest developments of the retention window. He had served as Rajasthan’s captain and was a central figure in its batting lineup.
Rajasthan brought Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in from Chennai, giving the team experienced all-rounders and new tactical options. The club also received Donovan Ferreira from Delhi Capitals.
These moves represented a substantial change in team composition rather than a simple list of releases.
9. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Released Players
Royal Challengers Bengaluru made several changes to their squad after their title-winning 2025 campaign. The franchise released six players in its main retention list.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liam Livingstone | Released |
| 2 | Lungi Ngidi | Released |
| 3 | Mayank Agarwal | Released |
| 4 | Manoj Bhandage | Released |
| 5 | Swastik Chhikara | Released |
| 6 | Mohit Rathee | Released |
Biggest RCB surprise: Liam Livingstone’s release was particularly notable because of his reputation as a powerful middle-order batter and occasional bowling option. Lungi Ngidi’s departure also gave the franchise an opportunity to review its overseas fast-bowling combination.
RCB retained Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood and Krunal Pandya, among others. With a reported ₹16.40 crore available before the auction, the franchise could focus on specific gaps rather than rebuilding its entire squad.
10. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Released Players
Sunrisers Hyderabad made adjustments to their bowling unit and backup batting options ahead of IPL 2026. Mohammed Shami’s move to Lucknow Super Giants was one of the major transactions involving the franchise.
| No. | Player name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abhinav Manohar | Released |
| 2 | Atharva Taide | Released |
| 3 | Sachin Baby | Released |
| 4 | Wiaan Mulder | Released |
| 5 | Adam Zampa | Released |
| 6 | Simarjeet Singh | Released |
| 7 | Rahul Chahar | Released |
| 8 | Mohammed Shami | Traded to Lucknow Super Giants |
Biggest SRH surprise: Mohammed Shami’s departure was an important change to the bowling setup. His experience with the new ball and ability to take early wickets made the transfer a notable development.
Sunrisers retained Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan and Nitish Kumar Reddy, among others. Their priority was to maintain the aggressive batting approach while improving squad balance.
Biggest Names in the IPL 2026 Released Players List
Several experienced and internationally recognised players became available for auction or moved to other franchises. The following table highlights some of the most prominent names and why their departures attracted attention.
| Player | Previous team | Why the move mattered |
|---|---|---|
| Glenn Maxwell | Punjab Kings | Explosive batting and off-spin |
| Andre Russell | Kolkata Knight Riders | Powerful finishing and all-round ability |
| Faf du Plessis | Delhi Capitals | Experienced top-order batter |
| Venkatesh Iyer | Kolkata Knight Riders | Indian batting all-rounder |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Chennai Super Kings | Specialist death-over fast bowler |
| David Miller | Lucknow Super Giants | Experienced T20 finisher |
| Jake Fraser-McGurk | Delhi Capitals | Aggressive top-order batting |
| Devon Conway | Chennai Super Kings | Left-handed top-order batter |
| Quinton de Kock | Kolkata Knight Riders | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Josh Inglis | Punjab Kings | Aggressive wicketkeeper-batter |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Lucknow Super Giants | Leg-spin bowling option |
| Rahul Chahar | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Indian leg-spinner |
The significance of each release depended on more than a player’s reputation. Franchises also considered salary commitments, recent performances, fitness, overseas-player limits, role requirements and the availability of replacements.
Major Player Trades Before IPL 2026
A trade is different from a release. Rather than entering the auction pool, a traded player moves directly to another franchise under the agreed terms.
| Player | Previous team | New team |
|---|---|---|
| Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings | Rajasthan Royals |
| Sam Curran | Chennai Super Kings | Rajasthan Royals |
| Sanju Samson | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings |
| Nitish Rana | Rajasthan Royals | Delhi Capitals |
| Donovan Ferreira | Delhi Capitals | Rajasthan Royals |
| Sherfane Rutherford | Gujarat Titans | Mumbai Indians |
| Shardul Thakur | Lucknow Super Giants | Mumbai Indians |
| Arjun Tendulkar | Mumbai Indians | Lucknow Super Giants |
| Mohammed Shami | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lucknow Super Giants |
These transactions changed the composition of multiple squads before the auction even began. The Jadeja–Samson–Curran movement was especially significant because it affected the leadership, batting and all-rounder options of both Chennai and Rajasthan.
Which IPL Team Released the Most Players in 2026?
The answer depends on whether the count includes only players released outright or also those transferred to other teams. The following summary separates the main release lists from the most notable transfers.
| Team | Main release-list count | Major additional trade-outs |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 10 | Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran |
| Delhi Capitals | 6 | Donovan Ferreira |
| Gujarat Titans | 5 | Sherfane Rutherford |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 9 | — |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 7 | Shardul Thakur |
| Mumbai Indians | 8 | Arjun Tendulkar |
| Punjab Kings | 6 | — |
| Rajasthan Royals | 7 | Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 6 | — |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 7 | Mohammed Shami |
IPL 2026 Auction Purse: How Much Money Did Each Team Have?
The remaining purse played an important role in determining how aggressively each franchise could bid for available players.
| IPL team | Remaining purse before auction |
|---|---|
| Kolkata Knight Riders | ₹64.30 crore |
| Chennai Super Kings | ₹43.40 crore |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | ₹25.50 crore |
| Delhi Capitals | ₹21.80 crore |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | ₹16.40 crore |
| Rajasthan Royals | ₹16.05 crore |
| Gujarat Titans | ₹12.90 crore |
| Punjab Kings | ₹11.50 crore |
| Mumbai Indians | ₹2.75 crore |
| Lucknow Super Giants | ₹22.95 crore |
Figures refer to the reported purse available before the December 16, 2025 auction. They are historical pre-auction figures, not the teams’ current balances.
Kolkata Knight Riders entered the auction with the strongest financial position, followed by Chennai Super Kings. Mumbai Indians had considerably less room to manoeuvre, while several other teams had moderate budgets with which to fill specific squad gaps.
Why Did IPL Teams Release Players Before the 2026 Season?
1. Poor or inconsistent performance
A player may be talented but fail to deliver consistently in the role assigned to them. Franchises review recent seasons, batting strike rates, bowling economy, wicket-taking ability and match impact before making retention decisions.
2. High salary commitments
A player’s salary can influence a team’s decision, especially when their performance does not justify the financial commitment. Releasing a player may free money for an alternative who better fits the team’s plans.
3. Team combination and role balance
A franchise might have too many players competing for the same position. Releasing one or more of them can create opportunities to sign a specialist opener, finisher, wicketkeeper, spinner or fast bowler.
4. Overseas-player limits
IPL teams must manage their overseas-player allocation carefully. Even an accomplished international cricketer may become expendable if the franchise needs a different type of overseas player.
5. Changes in strategy
A new captain, coaching plan or preferred playing XI can lead to squad changes. Teams sometimes prioritise younger players, improve their bowling depth or build a more flexible batting order.
What Happens to Players After They Are Released?
Released players may register for the auction if they meet the relevant eligibility and registration requirements. Franchises can then bid for eligible players according to the auction rules.
However, being released does not guarantee that a player will be bought. Demand depends on a player’s recent form, fitness, availability, reserve price, role and the number of franchises competing for that skill set.
A player who goes unsold may have further opportunities through subsequent auction rounds or other permitted replacement arrangements, depending on the applicable IPL rules.
Traded players follow a different route because their transfer to the new franchise is completed through the trade process rather than an ordinary auction purchase.
FAQs
Who are the most famous players released before IPL 2026?
Some of the biggest names included Glenn Maxwell, Andre Russell, Faf du Plessis, Venkatesh Iyer, Matheesha Pathirana, David Miller and Devon Conway.
Did CSK release Ravindra Jadeja?
Ravindra Jadeja moved from Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals through a trade. It is more accurate to describe him as a traded player rather than an ordinary auction release.
Why did KKR release Andre Russell?
Kolkata Knight Riders made a major squad decision by releasing Russell ahead of the mini-auction. The franchise’s retention and auction strategy involved reassessing its squad composition and financial flexibility; the release alone does not establish one definitive reason.
Which team had the biggest auction purse before IPL 2026?
Kolkata Knight Riders had the largest reported remaining purse at ₹64.30 crore before the auction.
When was the IPL 2026 retention list announced?
The retention window closed on November 15, 2025, when all ten franchises confirmed their retained-player lists.
When was the IPL 2026 mini-auction held?
The mini-auction was scheduled for December 16, 2025, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Were all released players guaranteed another IPL contract?
No. Players needed to attract a successful bid or obtain a contract through another permitted route. Some registered players can remain unsold.
Is a traded player the same as a released player?
No. A released player can enter the auction pool, whereas a traded player transfers to another franchise under an agreed arrangement.
Conclusion
The IPL 2026 Released Players List reflected the different strategies adopted by all ten franchises before the mini-auction. Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings made notable changes, while teams such as Punjab Kings retained a larger share of their existing squads.
The departures of Andre Russell, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, Matheesha Pathirana and David Miller generated considerable attention. Meanwhile, the major trades involving Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran and Sanju Samson reshaped the plans of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.
Ultimately, player releases are part of the wider process of squad building. A successful team must balance experience, young talent, financial flexibility and specialist roles rather than relying on big names alone.
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