The IPL 2026 auction is expected to be conducted in December 2025.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction for the 19th edition is set to be conducted in December this year. The IPL 2026 retention spot will depend on the players’ performances in the 2025 season. With under two months remaining, franchises will be on the verge of calculating their costs to put together a good team.
But things are not hunky dory for each player in each season. Irrespective of their experience and class, some players underperform, not meeting the expectations of their franchise. Having said that, here are seven players whose cricket was not at its best in IPL 2025, and are at risk of losing their retention spot.
The South African speedster has consistently featured in the IPL for the past few years. After a brief stint with the Punjab Kings for three years, Kagiso Rabada was acquired by the Gujarat Titans (GT) before the 2025 season.
However, the Proteas pacer had an ordinary season with the Titans. He featured in only four matches and managed two wickets. What was more surprising to see was the economy rate. Rabada went for 11.57 runs per over, which also happens to be his highest economy rate in an IPL season to date. The Shubman Gill-led franchise would be itching to look for better options ahead of IPL 2026.
Since his IPL debut in 2021, Venkatesh Iyer has always been a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). But there was a significant shift in his role for the 2025 season. The left-handed batter was named the deputy to Ajinkya Rahane. To add to that, he was retained for a whopping INR 23.75 crore, which raised a lot of eyebrows. But what followed over the two months of the tournament was disappointing. Venkatesh was unable to live up to the expectations. In 11 matches, he scored 142 runs at an average of 20.28. He had a solitary fifty under his belt.
The Knight Riders have some major work to be done ahead of the next season. The left-handed batter has been a consistent performer over the previous five years. But after the last season, it might be time to choose statistics over loyalty to reclaim their winning status in IPL 2026.
Nine matches. 330 runs with a strike rate of 234.04. If a franchise had an opener like this, letting them go would be like committing a crime. But these numbers are from 2024. Jake Fraser-McGurk wasn’t as impressive in the latest season. The Australian opener managed only 55 runs in six innings, with an average of 9.16. Known to provide blistering starts, this is another side of the coin for a batter who goes berserk at the top. Though he scored two fifties in the MLC this year, those numbers won’t be promising for the Delhi Capitals (DC) management.
The franchise have an opening pair sorted in KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis. Moreover, Abishek Porel at three adds a considerable amount of aggression to the batting unit. Come IPL 2026, DC won’t be much interested in retaining Fraser-McGurk.
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After already having represented two teams in the IPL, the way Ishan Kishan started for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 2025 was impressive. The stakes were high, and the wicketkeeper-batter proved that he was set for the big stage yet another time. Ishan Kishan scored a mind-boggling 106* in the first game of the SRH campaign. But as the season progressed, his consistency came down. To add to that, the kind of starts which Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head provided more often than not set the platform on fire.
Going into the IPL 2026, the Jharkhand player could be released. It would help the franchise retrieve some costs through which they can buy a player with a cheaper base price.
The Indian fast bowler’s story in 2025 was a similar one to Ishan Kishan. Both players landed in the same franchise from different teams. Mohammed Shami had picked 28 wickets in 17 games for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the previous season. However, the right-armer was not able to make a mark with the Men in Orange. In nine games, Shami scalped only six wickets – too less for a bowler of his calibre.
To add to that, Shami’s economy in the previous season was a whopping 11.23, which is massive for a fast bowler in the shortest format. SRH would certainly think of options to better their fast bowling unit for IPL 2026.
One of the first things which came to the minds of fans upon seeing Matheesha Pathirana bowl was his action, quite similar to that of Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga. The 22-year-old has been a part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since 2022. Over the years, Pathirana moulded himself into a finisher type of role, whom the skipper would introduce after the 10th over. But his economy and control were where he lost most battles.
MS Dhoni recently expressed that Pathirana was a rare commodity, whom Sri Lanka should only focus on using in the shortest format. Pathirana possesses an impeccable yorker and can leave the batter stranded with his pace. But his economy in the last season stood at 10.13, which is a bit too much for a death bowler. Hence, CSK might want to let him go ahead of IPL 2026.
The youngster from New Zealand has represented CSK for two years in the IPL. Though Rachin Ravindra has played some flamboyant knocks and got great starts at the top, he hasn’t been able to generate runs consistently. To add to his woes, the top order for the Men in Yellow looks pretty solid with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and the young Ayush Mhatre. Urvil Patel would be their first choice at three, followed by Dewald Brevis at four. Hence, Rachin would not fit into CSK’s scheme of things for IPL 2026.
In 18 matches played across two seasons, Rachin’s average has been 22.20 and 27.28, respectively. The management would like to attain a better average from the players batting in the top order. CSK have shown a lot of trust in Urvil at three, and will hope that he can continue to produce consistent results.
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