3 IPL teams that failed miserably in 2026 player retention

The retention deadline for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 was November 15. While some teams opted to retain most of their star players, others decided to release many of their big names to rebuild after disappointing campaigns in IPL 2025.

The IPL 2026 mini-auction is scheduled to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on December 16. It will be interesting to see how teams fare in the much-awaited auction, which takes place abroad for the third consecutive year.

Let's take a look at the three IPL teams that failed miserably in 2026 player retention:

3. Sunrisers Hyderabad

Delhi Capitals had a strong start to the season in IPL 2025, winning each of their first four matches. However, their form tapered off towards the back end, and they finished at No. 5, with seven wins and six defeats under their belt. DC released their experienced top-order batter, Faf du Plessis, ahead of the auction. They also decided to leave fellow opener Jake Fraser-McGurk, who underperformed last season but has immense potential.

DC's pace attack comprises Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, T Natarajan, and Mukesh Kumar. There seems to be a lack of balance, as Starc is a cut above the rest, and there is not a suitable replacement or backup for him. T Natarajan has been retained for INR 10.75 crore despite playing just one match in IPL 2025 due to injury.