The mini auction will be held in December.
The franchises will be brainstorming their retention list with the IPL 2026 auction just a couple of months away. As this is a mini auction, teams will have an option to retain most of their squad from the previous season.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lifted their trophy curse in the previous edition. While they are unlikely to make a lot of chopping and changing, other teams would look to strengthen their squad.
As we have seen over the years, some of the franchises are loyal to their players to a point where it has a negative impact on the team. Here we take a look at players who should be released ahead of the IPL 2026 auction but are unlikely to be.
Andre Russell has been with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since 2012, and has been part of three championships. The Jamaican all-rounder has delivered incredible performances for the franchise over the years. But he is now 37 years of age, and his fitness in the last few years has been a huge concern.
Russell had a good IPL 2024 season but was very either side of it. In the last three years, he has averaged under 23 and struck at 163. With the ball, he has conceded at nearly 11 runs per over. His numbers in all T20s this year look concerning as well, averaging 19 at a strike rate of 153.
KKR retained him for INR 12 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. Considering the age factor and his regressed form, perhaps it is time for KKR to move on from Russell.
Ravindra Jadeja joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2012, and has been with the team for all seasons they have played. He has been a part of three of their title victories in the IPL. CSK have shown immense loyalty to the spin all-rounder but he has not really been a great performer barring one season in 2020.
Jadeja’s career numbers at CSK do not look impressive. In the last three seasons, he has averaged 33 with the bat while striking at a touch below 140. These numbers aren’t ideal for someone who has played mostly in the lower middle order. Jadeja the bowler has decent numbers but that is largely because CSK have shielded him from left-hand batters. Despite that his bowling returns have been poor in the last two seasons, picking up 18 wickets from 28 innings at an economy of 8.16.
CSK made him captain briefly in 2022 but stepped down mid-season. Their alliance continued with the franchise making him the number one retention ahead of IPL 2025 auction. But his numbers do not justify the price tag of INR 18 crore. The Super Kings promoted him in the batting unit last year but that made things worse for the team despite him accumulating runs.
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Mumbai Indians have been known for their motto of One Family, and they are extremely loyal to their players. It is not a surprise they have stuck with Rohit Sharma despite years of poor performance with the bat. Afterall, he has led them to five titles in the league.
However, Rohit is currently 38 years of age and doesn’t have much time left in his playing career. He has also had fitness issues in recent years. He has done well in the last two seasons, scoring over 400 runs in each season at a strike rate of nearly 150. But given his age and the fact that he’s playing only one format in international cricket, maintaining a high level will be difficult.
Mumbai Indians can free up INR 16.30 crore for the IPL 2026 auction by releasing him, with which they can build the side better.
Another KKR star the franchise has been blindly loyal to is Sunil Narine. It is not without a reason though as he has been pivotal in their success over the years. Narine was the Most Valuable Player of the tournament in two of their three title triumphs in 2012 and 2024.
But like Russell, Narine is past his prime. He is 37 years of age, and KKR have to move on at some point. Last season, he made 246 runs opening the innings at an average of just 22, and claimed 12 wickets at 7.80 rpo.
Being a spin all-rounder, Narine has more breathing space. KKR have been adamant on using him as an opener, which had a negative impact on the team as the rest of the batters had to bat one spot below their ideal number.
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