With the IPL 2026 mini-auction clock ticking down, all ten franchises have now announced their lists of released players. Teams are adjusting their plans, letting go of expensive and/or underperforming players, and preparing for some invigorating young talent and nurtured impact. This upcoming season promises to include some daring trades, new signings, and some serious strategy changes.
Here is an extensive overview of the released player lists from each team, some insight into their choices, and how franchises plan to proceed next.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Released Players: Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sam Curran, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Ellis, Shaik Rashid, Mukesh Choudhary.
Strategy Insight:
Chennai Super Kings have gone away from some of their experienced players including Ashwin and Conway, indicating a shift towards younger and more explosive players. The team is especially interested in replenishing its middle order and adding some new options in the spin department. The franchise appears to be interested in rebuilding long-term, while balancing some proven performers with young talent.
Delhi Capitals (DC)
Released Players: Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Dushmantha Chameera, Mohit Sharma, Donovan Ferreira, Sameer Rizvi, Karun Nair, Sam Fraser-McGurk.
Strategy Insight:
Delhi Capitals have parted ways with a number of high-profile players, including Faf du Plessis, and are looking to rebuild their top order. Improving the death-overs bowling unit is still an objective. Now that they have freed up a considerable chunk of their budget, DC will be preparing to bid for explosive openers and experienced fast bowlers in the auction. A change in leadership is also on the cards, which would make the Capitals one of the most interesting teams to watch leading up to 2026.
Gujarat Titans (GT)
Released Players: Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Rahul Tewatia, Gerald Coetzee, Jayant Yadav, Kulwant Khejroliya, Manav Suthar, Ishant Sharma.
Strategy Insight:
One of the most startling decisions is Gujarat Titans‘ choice to let Rashid Khan go. The bowler has been a match-winner for Gujarat Titans over the seasons. There’s no doubt that the Titans are looking to overhaul their spin and middle order by using new combinations. This is all well and good, but this shows GT is ready to sacrifice star merit for a better overall balance to departments.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Released Players: Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Moeen Ali, Spencer Johnson, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Rovman Powell.
Strategy Insight:
Kolkata Knight Riders have made some major changes: many recognizable cricketers are gone. The release of Venkatesh Iyer and Moeen Ali speaks to their decision to move on from their dependence on older players. They will likely bring new life to the squad with younger players and exciting new pacers. They seem to be focused on building their roster for long-term sustainability over short-term repairs.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
Released Players: David Miller, Shamar Joseph, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Yuvraj Chaudhary.
Strategy Insight:
Lucknow Super Giants aims to improve their poor death bowling and finishing. By letting veterans like Miller and Avesh Khan go, the franchise shows they want to add bona fide finishers who can perform under pressure. Lucknow will probably look to fill the void by improving their lower middle order and adding bowling depth in the auction.
Mumbai Indians (MI)
Released Players: Will Jacks, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Reece Topley, Karn Sharma, Robin Minz.
Strategy Insight:
Mumbai Indians are recognized for relying on a solid Indian core and 2023 is no exception. By moving on from a number of overseas and fringe players, they have created space for more efficient foreign signings. They remain focused on customizable bench strength to achieve further balanced team combinations with respect to batting and bowling.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Released Players: Glenn Maxwell, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett, Marcus Stoinis, Praveen Dubey.
Strategy Insight:
Following a reliable season, Punjab Kings have changed their middle order by letting expensive all-rounders such as Maxwell and Stoinis go away. Their approach seems geared towards continuing to identify reliable players that can provide some stability in tough situations. Expect PBKS to go after flexible Indian middle-order batters and affordable overseas players in the mini-auction.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Released Players: Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Strategy Insight:
Rajasthan Royals are focused on improving their bowling depth. By releasing Hasaranga and a few others, RR is hoping to bring in fresh pace and spin options. Importantly, the team has maintained its middle order core of Shimron Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel, showing their commitment to continuity in the batting line up.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Released Players: Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Salam, Lungi Ngidi, Tim Seifert, Nuwan Thushara, Mohit Rathee, Swapnil Singh, Abhinandan Singh.
Strategy Insight:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru parted ways with several overseas players signed on hefty contracts, while retaining their star performers including Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David. This gives Royal Challengers Bengaluru better scope to target buys during the auction thanks to additional financial freedom. They appear to be attempting to fine-tune the squad, while sticking with their match-winners.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Released Players: Mohammad Shami, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Abhinav Manohar, Adam Zampa, Harshal Patel, Atharva Taide.
Strategy Insight:
The Sunrisers Hyderabad have decided to bring in a significant overhaul by cutting some big players like Shami, Kishan, and Klaasan. The team will look to revamp its middle order and spin department, which clearly underperformed last season. Clearly, the SRH is looking to replace those inconsistent players with more reliable players, possibly with a few new international players.
IP 2026 Released Players List
| Team | Key Released Players | Strategic Objective |
|---|---|---|
| CSK | Ashwin, Conway, Hooda, Tripathi | Youth influx, spin revamp |
| DC | Faf, Fraser-McGurk, Chameera, Nair | Top-order rebuild, bowling boost |
| GT | Rashid Khan, Coetzee, Tewatia | Middle-order & spin restructure |
| KKR | Iyer, de Kock, Moeen, Powell | Young core, pace revamp |
| LSG | Miller, Joseph, Avesh | Stronger finishers, death bowling |
| MI | Jacks, Topley, Minz, Karn Sharma | Balanced squad, flexible bench |
| PBKS | Maxwell, Stoinis, Omarzai | Middle-order consistency |
| RR | Hasaranga, Deshpande, Dubey | Bowling upgrades, core batting retained |
| RCB | Livingstone, Ngidi, Seifert | Budget flexibility, sharpened squad |
| SRH | Shami, Kishan, Klaasen, Zampa | Recast spin and middle order |
What’s New: Trade Watch & Auction Buzz
- The trade window for IPL 2026 has opened, and the franchises have an opportunity to shuffle their squads ahead of the auction.
- RCB is said to explore a trade for Venkatesh Iyer with the aim to strengthen their all-round department.
- Even though Glenn Maxwell has now been released from his contract, he is likely to excite many teams with team bids.
- Keeping overseas players will remain vital since we expect to see overseas stars Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Phil Salt, Rashid Khan and Travis Head retained by their respective teams.
Why This Matter
The mini-auction is nowhere near the levels of a mega auction but does have immense importance for a team’s strategic approach. Each franchise will need to balance their desire to maintain stability, encourage youth, and operate under tight budgets.
Free agents, especially international stars and domestic all-rounders, will likely trigger bidding wars and teams are recalibrating their approach, attempting to find the proper balance between established players and new faces to stay relevant in IPL 2026.
With all release lists and trades in order, the mini-auction will be one of the most competitive and strategic mini-auctions we have witnessed in recent IPL history. Expect tactical decision making, shocking purchases, and new players fighting for their spot in the biggest T20 league in the world.
