After a dismal IPL 2025, Rajasthan Royals (RR) finished 9th with just 4 wins in 14 games. Some players didn’t live up to the expectations. With the IPL 2026 auction around the corner, RR might release some of the expensive players who didn’t perform well. This will make room for experienced players next season.
Who are those low-impact high-price players?
- Shimron Hetmyer: RR retained him for INR 11 crore. Unfortunately, he scored only 239 runs in 13 innings. He could have been released before IPL 2026. His good form in other leagues might save him for another season.
- Tushar Deshpande: At INR 6.50 crore, Tushar played 10 matches. He took 9 wickets but his economy was 10.62. He’s a likely candidate for release before IPL 2026.
- Wanindu Hasaranga: The Sri Lankan all-rounder cost INR 5.25 crore. His season wasn’t great, with only 11 wickets in 11 matches and a high economy rate of 9.04.
- Maheesh Theekshana: Purchased for INR 4.40 crore. Like his countryman Hasaranga, Maheesh also had a disappointing season. He only managed 8 wickets in 10 matches.
Who might RR release to free up some cash?
- Sanju Samson: The RR captain played only 9 matches in IPL 2025 due to injuries. He scored 285 runs at an average of 35.62 and a strike rate of 140.39. Word is, Sanju has asked to leave RR before the new season.
- Tushar Deshpande: Tushar could be one of the fast bowlers RR lets go. He didn’t reach double digits in wickets and had a high economy rate in IPL 2025.
- Wanindu Hasaranga: Wanindu is probably going to be released after a bad IPL 2025. He struggled with the ball and only scored 9 runs in 5 innings.* Maheesh Theekshana: Maheesh took 2 wickets in 5 matches for CSK in IPL 2024. He got a bit better in IPL 2025 for RR. But his performances were still not up to the mark.
What could be the Rajasthan Royals squad before IPL 2026 Auction?
Here’s a possible look at the Rajasthan Royals after retentions and releases:
- Retained: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Shubham Dubey, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Ashok Sharma, and Jofra Archer.
- Released: Sanju Samson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kunal Singh Rathore, Tushar Deshpande, Kumar Kartikeya, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Nandre Burger, Yudhvir Singh Charak, and Nitish Rana.
Rajasthan Royals Purse Amount for IPL 2026 Auction
If RR releases the players mentioned above, they will have a good amount of money. With the money saved, the franchise can enter the IPL 2026 auction with INR 41.3 crore to spend.
