IPL 2026 Auction Buzz: Who Will Stay, Who Will Go? Complete Player List!

The franchises are preparing for the mini player auction, which will occur in connection with the IPL 2026 event, and the player's retention decisions will be the ones that define the team line-ups for the new season. The fans are keeping an eye on the situation where the stars are going, and some names might get some unexpected bids.

The deadline for player retention and release lists of all IPL franchises to be submitted by the respective franchises to the BCCI is November 15, 2025. It is a crucial step, since the finalized lists will determine the participants of the mini auction, which is set for mid-December 2025. Even though the exact dates have not been confirmed yet, the sources are indicating that the auction will take place in India between December 13 and 15.

The future of Sanju Samson with Rajasthan Royals is still the major talking point among fans and experts alike. According to reports, the Indian cricketer had requested a release, which in turn triggered the CSK (Chennai Super Kings) to intensify the trade talks. Earlier, the negotiations between RR (Rajasthan Royals) and DC (Delhi Capitals) over the swap deal involving Samir Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs had reached a deadlock.

Currently, a possible exchange of Ravindra Jadeja is under discussion, with MS Dhoni being the one to confirm the IPL 2026 participation, thus impacting the CSK’s strategy in assembling the squad. In case Samson leaves, the Royals may choose either Yashasvi Jaiswal or Dhruv Jurel for the captaincy.

In contrast to full auctions, the IPL 2026 mini auction is not going to involve a massive overhaul, but rather teams will induct players who fit their needs well and are of less cost. The teams will try to release underperforming or expensive players while at the same time fortifying weak areas with the available budget. The officials are already working with the board to develop a strategy, which includes scouting both international stars and upcoming Indian talent.

Expected Players to be released

According to the media and unofficial sources, the players listed below will most likely be available for the auction pool:

Chennai Super Kings: Vijay Shankar, Devon Conway, Deepak Hooda, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Rahul Tripathi.

Delhi Capitals: Mukesh Kumar, Dushmanta Chameera, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, and Faf du Plessis.

Gujarat Titans: Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Shahrukh Khan, and Ishant Sharma.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Venkatesh Iyer, Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock, Spencer Johnson, and Ramandeep Singh.

Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant, Mayank Yadav, David Miller, Shamar Joseph, and Ravi Bishnoi.

Mumbai Indians: Will Jacks, Corbin Bosch, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Reece Topley, and Tilak Verma.

Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Azmatullah Omarzai, Yash Thakur, and Aaron Hardie.

Rajasthan Royals: Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Nitish Rana, Kwena Maphaka, and Tushar Deshpande.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Suyash Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Salam, Nuwan Thushara, and Yash Dayal.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Shami, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Adam Zampa, and Abhinav Manohar.

The new registrations for IPL 2026 are not yet official, but it is possible that some players who were not sold in the previous auctions could get into the pool again. Among those whose names are in the rumor mill are Prithvi Shaw, Shardul Thakur, David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Jamieson, and Jason Roy. Youngsters from domestic cricket are also likely to be in the race, thus providing franchises with a wide array of choices.

The IPL 2026 will be the first season with the unlimited retention rule that allows franchises to retain any number of players within the 25-player squad limit and the salary cap. After the mini-auction teams will be able to fill in the gaps, make the necessary adjustments to player combinations, and have their final rosters ready.