The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 retention will be announced on November 15, Saturday and all the franchises will be prepped up to form a well balanced squad. According to a report by Cricbuzz, there are a few strong players that are likely to be released ahead of the mini auction. One of the big names emerging is of Venkatesh Iyer who has played an important role in the Kolkata Knight Riders but now the franchise wants to go in different direction and part ways with him.
Venkatesh Iyer Faces the Axe, but What About the Big Names?
Among the top 15 buys of the 2024 mega auction in Jeddah, few seem endangered. The list comprises Rishabh Pant – INR 27 crore, Shreyas Iyer – INR 26.75 crore, Arshdeep Singh – INR 18 crore – besides a host of other big names like Jos Buttler – INR 15.75 crore and KL Rahul – INR 14 crore, for whom the mini-auction will most likely be a no-event as far as releasing them goes.
If Iyer was bought by KKR for INR 23.75 crore, he might well face a release this time around after managing just 142 runs from 11 outings last season. He has been an important part of KKR’s successful campaigns in the past, but this huge investment hasn’t really clicked. Of course, KKR might still buy him back at the mini-auction, but as of now, things look bleak for him.
KKR’s Big Plans and Budget for Mini-Auction
KKR, expected to enter the mini-auction with a purse of INR 35-40 crore – including the annual INR 5 crore purse increase – can do with the funds to pursue big names like Cameron Green, in high demand this season. The franchise is also retaining Ajinkya Rahane (INR 1.5 crore), their captain from last season, despite reported discussions around trading KL Rahul. The negotiations with Delhi Capitals for a potential Rahul trade fell through and Rahane stays in charge, having topped scoring last season for KKR, with 390 runs at a strike rate close to 150.
SRH Retain Heinrich Klaasen, Complete Mohammed Shami Trade
There are a few changes that seem to be coming for SunRisers Hyderabad. Heinrich Klaasen, retained for INR 23 crore last season, will be retained despite a relatively modest season (487 runs from 13 games). The South African wicketkeeper-batter is still trusted by the franchise.
Meanwhile, SRH has completed a major one-way all-cash trade with LSG to bring home Mohammed Shami at a whopping INR 10 crore. Along with Shami, SRH also traded Shardul Thakur to Mumbai Indians while deciding to persist with Mayank Yadav, the young pacer with a fragile fitness record. Ravi Bishnoi, however, will be released after a below-par performance.
Lucknow SuperGiants: A Rundown of Trades and Releases
LSG has been busy in the trade market, however. Along with the acquisition of Shami, they have also acquired Arjun Tendulkar from Mumbai Indians. As far as releases are concerned, the franchise has decided to release David Miller and is most likely to release Shamar Joseph too. Ravi Bishnoi became the casualty of a release list too after his disappointing season.
Shardul Thakur’s trade with MI seems to be a strategic move for LSG as they attempt to fine-tune their squad, while their release of Ravi Bishnoi signals a shift towards restructuring their bowling department.
Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals: Busy on Retention and Releases
As expected, the two teams that finished at the bottom of the points table in the previous season, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, have been most active in reshaping their squads. CSK’s highly-publicised Ravindra Jadeja-for-Sanju Samson trade seems to be going through despite a few technical glitches. Once it is through, it would be one of the headline trades of the season.
CSK are also likely to let go of several players, including Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi and Rachin Ravindra among others. Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar could be shown the exit too as CSK look at a fresh outlook for the three-time champions.
RR will likely let go of several players, too, such as Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Maheesh Theekshana and Fazalhaq Farooqi, as they look to recalibrate their squad for the next season.
RCB and Punjab Kings: No Major Changes Likely
Both RCB and Punjab Kings, champions and runners-up of last season respectively, are expected to make very few changes. The RCB might let go of a few players like Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, and Blessing Muzarabani but are unlikely to make any major changes.
At the same time, Punjab Kings reportedly may look to release Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Praveen Dubey, and Vishnu Vinod. Their considerations could follow from the fact that Maxwell got injured last season, yet this is not yet confirmed.
Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals: Trade Moves and Key Decisions The Mumbai Indians have done some shuffling, such as getting Mayank Markande from KKR in a one-way trade. They could also let go of Will Jacks, who had left them midseason to join the England squad. As far as the MI lineup goes, it looks quite stable, and only a few adjustments are expected. Changes seem to be in the air for the Delhi Capitals, as they are looking to release a few players ahead of the mega auction, including T. Natarajan and Jake Fraser-McGurk. Important decisions are likely to be made by the management as the franchise is continuously refining its squad.
| Team | Likely Releases (Including Trades) |
|---|---|
| KKR | Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje |
| LSG | Ravi Bishnoi, David Miller, Akash Deep, Shamar Joseph, Shardul Thakur (traded to MI) |
| DC | T Natarajan, Jake Fraser-McGurk |
| RCB | Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Blessing Muzarabani, Rasikh Dar |
| PBKS | Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Praveen Dubey, Vishnu Vinod |
| MI | Reece Topley, Will Jacks, Arjun Tendulkar (traded to LSG) |
| RR | Sanju Samson (traded to CSK), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka |
| CSK | Ravindra Jadeja (traded to RR), Sam Curran (traded to RR), Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Jamie Overton |
| SRH | Mohammed Shami (traded to LSG), Rahul Chahar |
| GT | Sherfane Rutherford (traded to MI) |
