Franchises are expected to submit the list of retained and released players by November 15.
All eyes will be on November 15 in the build-up to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Franchises will submit their lists of released and retained players to kick-start their preparations. Like every season, there could be some shocking releases before the IPL 2026 auction. In the bargain, it may also mean a few heartbreaks for the fans.
Here are five players that their respective franchises might look to release ahead of IPL 2026 auction.
This might come as a shock to many fans. With franchises having an opportunity to shift their focus towards building a long-term core, Faf du Plessis’s age would not be on his side. Besides, the Capitals have good openers to back him up.
His performances are the first factor to point to for his probable release. In the IPL last season, du Plessis scored just over 200 runs in nine matches, at a strike-rate of almost 124. Next, he played with an average of 52 in the Major League Cricket (MLC). Du Plessis brings a lot of experience, but it might be time to let go of the South African.
The wicketkeeper-batter from Jharkhand blistered off to a fantastic start in the last season, with a prolific century. However, his graph post that game never went up. Kishan struggled to build the momentum and could only score 248 runs in the next 13 innings.
With the top-order sorted for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), they might be on the lookout for a promising No.3, who would take the momentum ahead in IPL 2026. The likes of Smaran Ravichandran and Atharva Taide are the ones who the Sunrisers would want to test in various conditions. Smaran has a fantastic record in domestic cricket. Taide, on the other hand, has shown a lot of promise in the few chances given to date.
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The Delhi Capitals superstar could be on the verge of parting ways with the franchise after a solitary season. In 13 innings, Rahul notched up 539 runs. He scored three fifties and a hundred, and his experience proved vital on many occasions.
However, the 33-year-old might reportedly shift to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Clearly enough, Rahul would be a good fit for the Knights and would plug a lot of holes. To add to that, he might also end up with a better bid at the auction. KKR would be getting a wicketkeeper-batter of the highest quality in KL Rahul. More than just that, they have a leadership option, which they must be desperately looking for after what transpired last season.
The left-handed batter from New Zealand has featured in a couple of IPL seasons, having played for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in both. However, Rachin Ravindra has not been able to make a mark in the recent season and is expected to be axed ahead of IPL 2026. Rachin scored 191 runs in eight innings, with a solitary fifty. His left-arm off-spin offers bowling depth, but that alone would not be enough.
To add to his inconsistency, fitting Rachin in the mix would be a difficult task for the five-time IPL champions. Their top-order looks packed with a fusion of youngsters and experienced players. Ayush Mhatre and Ruturaj Gaikwad are the favourites to open the batting, while youngsters Urvil Patel and Dewald Brevis would walk in next. This leaves little room for Rachin, as he would be batting out of position if he were played anywhere after No.4.
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper has been in the news quite frequently in the past three months. It all began after the franchise stated that the wicketkeeper-batter wishes to be released from the squad. Moreover, multiple members of the support staff have parted ways, including head coach Rahul Dravid.
While personal performances have not been a concern, the team’s dismal form in the recent season may have sparked a debate over Samson’s release ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The Kerala player has scored more than 4,700 runs in the IPL across 151 games for the Rajasthan Royals.
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