The IPL 2024 champions finished in eighth place last season.
The IPL 2026 retention deadline is just days ahead. All the franchises of the Indian Premier League are busy in finalising their last-minute discussions before heading towards the IPL 2026 auction. Amidst this, the three-time champions, Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) fans, are actively searching for the expected KKR released players 2026 list.
Let’s talk about two KKR players whose shocking inclusion in the KKR released players 2026 list could make the IPL 2026 bidding war a lot more exciting.
Following an underwhelming performance just after their title-winning campaign in the IPL 2024, KKR are all set for a major overhaul in the upcoming IPL 2026 auction. Here’s a likely KKR released players 2026 list ahead of the IPL 2026 retention deadline.
The likely KKR released players 2026 list contains names who had an average or a below-par season in the IPL 2025 and are expected to be released by the franchise prior to the IPL 2026 auction. KKR vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer headlines the chart after an abysmal outing in the previous season.
The franchise had spent a massive amount of INR 23.75 crores to re-include the Madhya Pradesh batter in their squad. But the price tag pressure on him was clearly visible throughout the tournament as Venkatesh failed to deliver some fiery knocks in pursuit of KKR’s title defense.
His only noteworthy innings had come against the IPL 2024 runners-up, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Apart from that blazing 60-run knock in just 29 deliveries, the 30-year-old managed only 82 runs in the remaining 10 fixtures.
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The aforementioned poor stats have finalised Venkatesh in the KKR released players 2026 list, especially due to the huge price tag. But apart from him and the other expected releases, two star players might enter the KKR released players 2026 list before the IPL 2026 auction.
The Caribbean big-hitter has been a key figure of the KKR squad over the years. He has represented the franchise in over 100 IPL matches. Russell’s record-breaking IPL 2019 with 510 runs in 14 matches, striking at a blazing 204.81, will be etched in the fans’ memories.
But considering a steep decline in his batting performance over the last three years, KKR might want to move on from the veteran West Indies all-rounder. In the IPL 2025, Russell managed to score only 167 runs at a strike rate of 163.72 and scalped just eight wickets in 13 league-stage fixtures.
Moreover, the finisher, who used to win matches for KKR single-handedly with his whirlwind knocks, also failed to chase a low total in the previous season. While chasing just 112 against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Russell was dismissed with 17 runs required off 29 balls.
After a smashing IPL 2023, the Indian finisher has also endured two back-to-back average seasons for the franchise. Rinku’s five sixes in the last five balls to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, against the Gujarat Titans (GT), had made the headlines in that edition. But in KKR’s latest title-winning campaign in the IPL 2024, he managed only 168 runs in 15 matches.
However, the batter’s IPL 2025 stats witnessed a slight improvement with 206 runs in 13 fixtures. The 28-year-old’s IPL 2024 strike rate of 148.67 also increased to 153.73 in the latest edition. While Russell might be a likely name in the KKR released players 2026 list, the franchise would not want to let go of Rinku for just two inconsistent seasons.
But if released, both of them would surely create a bidding war in the IPL 2026 auction. Several franchises, including Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Gujarat Titans (GT), would be keen to rope in any of the renowned finishers in their squad for the IPL 2026.
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