IPL 2026 auction possibilities: Players likely to be released, traded or go unsold

The thrilling IPL 2025 (Indian Premier League) is just a few weeks away from concluding. Four teams have qualified for the playoffs, while six others have been knocked out of the tournament after the 63rd match of the season. The remaining league-stage matches will be contested among the qualified teams to determine the top two spots in the table. Teams that failed to qualify will aim to finish the tournament on a high. The focus is likely to shift to the 19th edition of the league, which will require better planning from the teams that failed to reach the playoffs. Some players who underperformed in the 18th edition could be released by their franchises. A few could be traded between teams based on role requirements, while others might go unsold due to a lack of demand. Releases, transfers, & unsold: Bold prediction for IPL 2026 Major Releases by teams ahead of IPL 2026: Chennai Super Kings Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who were arguably the worst team of the season, could release a number of players. They may part ways with the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Mukesh Choudhary, Shreyas Gopal, Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, and Vijay Shankar. Alongside them, some uncapped players could also be released. Delhi Capitals Delhi Capitals (DC), who had a poor campaign in the second half of the tournament, might release the likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sameer Rizvi, Faf du Plessis, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair, and Donovan Ferreira in an effort to acquire better players suited to their team composition. Gujarat Titans Gujarat Titans (GT) have arguably been the best side of IPL 2025 so far. While most of their players have performed well, the 2022 champions may still release Anuj Rawat, Karim Janat, Washington Sundar, Kulwant Khejroliya, and Ishant Sharma to pursue stronger options in the auction. Kolkata Knight Riders After being one of the most dominant teams in IPL 2024, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) failed to defend their title in 2025. They could potentially release Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Quinton de Kock, Moeen Ali, Vaibhav Arora, Spencer Johnson, and Mayank Markande. Lucknow Super Giants Team Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) may look to build an entirely new squad due to the failure of Rishabh Pant and a majority of their bowlers. The Lucknow-based franchise could release Pant, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, David Miller, Akash Deep, and Shamar Joseph. Mumbai Indians Mumbai Indians (MI) may not release many players, as they typically back their young prospects. They are likely to release Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who did not get a game due to the presence of Mitchell Santner, Karn Sharma, and Vignesh Puthur, along with pacers like Ashwani Kumar and Corbin Bosch. Punjab Kings The Punjab Kings (PBKS) have enjoyed their best season since reaching the final in 2014. However, the northern Indian franchise could release a major name like Glenn Maxwell, who has not met expectations and has struggled in the IPL since 2023. Rajasthan Royals Rajasthan Royals (RR) were probably the second-worst team in the 18th edition of the league, and significant squad changes will be required. The inaugural champions could release Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Shubham Dubey. Royal Challengers Bengaluru The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have been arguably the second-best team in IPL 2025. While most players have delivered strong performances, the team may release Liam Livingstone and Rasikh Dar Salam to make room for players to fill key slots. Sunrisers Hyderabad Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have several players who performed exceptionally well in 2024 but failed to deliver in 2025. The 2016 champions could release Ishan Kishan, Abhinav Manohar, Atharva Taide, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Zampa, and Mohammed Shami. Potential player transfers and unsold predictions It is difficult to predict which players may be transferred between teams. However, given that Rajasthan require a wicket-taking spinner for the middle overs and Hyderabad need a pacer, Rahul Chahar could be traded to RR, with Yudhvir Singh moving to SRH. Similarly, Chennai need a death-bowling partner for Matheesha Pathirana, while Delhi require an opener following poor performances from Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk. As a result, Rachin Ravindra could be traded to DC, while CSK could acquire T Natarajan to strengthen their death bowling. Some players have performed poorly over recent seasons and may go unsold. These include Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Maxwell, Mukesh Choudhary, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who featured in IPL 2025, as well as others like Kane Williamson, David Warner, Joe Root, Dwaine Pretorius, and Adam Milne, who were not part of the season.

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IPL 2026 auction possibilities: Players likely to be released, traded or go unsold

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