The IPL 2026 Auction Date is being highly touted! Though it will not be as big as the one last year, it will definitely bring some changes to the landscape. Thus, teams will likely retain their core players, but some underperformers and injury-prone guys are being let go from their squads, freeing up cash and roster spots for the newcomers and T20 stars. Here is a look at the legacies of the 10 IPL sides with the players who are being let go ahead of the next season.
Read Also:- IPL 2026 Retained Players List
IPL 2026: Released Players by All 10 Teams Ahead of Mini Auction
| Team | Released Players |
|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | Vijay Shankar, Devon Conway, Deepak Hooda, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rahul Tripathi |
| Delhi Capitals (DC) | Mukesh Kumar, Dushmanta Chameera, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis |
| Gujarat Titans (GT) | Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Shahrukh Khan, Ishant Sharma |
| Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | Venkatesh Iyer, Modern Ali, Quinton de Kock, Spencer Johnson, Ramandeep Singh |
| Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | Rishabh Pant, Mayank Yadav, David Miller, Shamar Joseph, Ravi Bishnoi |
| Mumbai Indians (MI) | Will Jacks, Corbin Bosch, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Reece Topley, Tilak Verma |
| Punjab Kings (PBKS) | Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Azmatullah Omarzai, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie |
| Rajasthan Royals (RR) | Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Nitish Rana, Kwena Maphaka, Tushar Deshpande |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | Suyash Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Salam, Nuwan Thushara, Yash Dayal |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Shami, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Adam Zampa, Abhinav Manohar |
1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
CSK has been quite weird in a couple of releases, since they let go of Devon Conway, arguably their best acquisition for the 2023 championship. Other experienced players like Ravi Ashwin, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, and Deepak Hooda are also out. It looks like CSK wants to bring in some new, maybe younger, talent.
2. Delhi Capitals (DC)
DC’s cuts were mainly bowlers: Mukesh Kumar, Dushmanta Chameera, T Natarajan, and Mohit Sharma are out. Letting Faf du Plessis go hints they might want to rebuild their top order with youngsters or Indian players.
3. Gujarat Titans (GT)
In an even bigger shocker, GT let go of Rashid Khan-one can only guess if it was because of possible injury concerns or money issues.
Rahul Tewatia, Karim Janat, Shahrukh Khan, and veteran Ishant Sharma were also cut. This suggests GT is after strong all-around players and fast bowlers.
4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
KKR is moving on from Venkatesh Iyer and Quinton de Kock, meaning they’re changing up their batting lineup. Spencer Johnson, Ramandeep Singh, and, strangely, Modern Ali are also gone.
5. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
LSG raised eyebrows by releasing Rishabh Pant. Even though he’s had injury problems, it’s still a surprise. David Miller, Shamar Joseph, Mayank Yadav, and Ravi Bishnoi are also out, pointing to a possible big change in the team.
6. Mumbai Indians (MI)
With the edict to trim the squad, MI released a few players: all-rounders Will Jacks and Corbin Bosch, Mujeeb Ur Rahman among the spinners, and Reece Topley from fast bowling. Shockingly, they also released Tilak Varma, who many have placed high hopes on becoming a star.
7. Punjab Kings (PBKS)
PBKS chose to release a few well-known all-rounders: Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, and Aaron Hardie. Along with them are Azmatullah Omarzai and Yash Thakur. This implies that they are after a team that is steady rather than full of just good names.
8. Rajasthan Royals (RR)
RR let go of some important hitters like Shimron Hetmyer, Nitish Rana, and Dhruv Jurel, along with bowlers Tushar Deshpande and Kwena Mapakha. They might be focusing more on Indian players in the middle of the batting order.
9. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
After winning their first IPL title, RCB released Liam Livingstone, Suyash Sharma, and Yash Dayal. This might be to save money while hunting for good bowlers or promising young local players.
10. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Shami, Zampa, and Kishan were shown the door by the SRH, indicating a major overhaul of the team. The trendy names of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Abhinav Manohar have also been cast into the shop window.
What To Expect?
With these players being released, there will be insane bidding and a whole wave of fresh talent entering the fray in the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. Some of these selections might look a little bit ridiculous, but they are a clear indication of how teams are charting out new paths in protecting themselves in the world’s biggest T20 league.
