The IPL 2026 auction is scheduled for December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, marking the third consecutive year the auction is held overseas.
Unlike the mega auctions of prior years, the 2026 event
will be a single-day mini-auction, featuring a smaller pool of players due to many retentions. Teams had a retention deadline of November 15 to finalize their retained and released player lists.
A total of 173 players have been retained, including 49 overseas players, leaving 77 slots open for the auction. The combined purse available across franchises is ₹237.55 crore, a considerable amount following a total spent of over ₹1012 crore in previous auctions. Each franchise can have a squad of up to 25 players. Punjab Kings retained the most spots (21), while Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans retained 20 each.
The auction will feature intense bidding wars, with franchises like Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) holding the largest purse of ₹64.3 crore to fill 13 slots, including six overseas players. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have the second-largest purse of ₹43.4 crore to fill nine slots. Other teams have various remaining purse amounts reflecting their retention strategies.
High-profile trades have already taken place ahead of the auction, including the landmark swap of Sanju Samson to CSK and Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals. Mumbai Indians made two cash deals to acquire Shardul Thakur and Sherfane Rutherford, while Lucknow Super Giants secured Arjun Tendulkar from Mumbai Indians.
As the auction is still a few weeks away, teams can sign players in the trade window before auction. The teams can rope in released players if the parties come to terms with the amount, which can be significant. In this article, we shall have a look at four released players who can join another team before the IPL 2026 mini auction-
Andre Russell
After getting released by KKR, Andre Russell is the biggest name in the auction. The West Indies star, if he gets no assurance from KKR for a buyback, can negotiate with teams before the auction. Chennai Super Kings looks a likely destination for him and the five-time champions won't mind snapping him up in the trade window. Russell has been a gladiator for KKR over the years, but it might be the right time for him to seek pastures new.
Wanindu Hasaranga
The Sri Lanka all-rounder had an underwhelming outing with Rajasthan Royals, leading to his release ahead of auction. Hasaranga is a top-notch bowler and the Knight Riders can look to bring him to the side ahead of the auction, with CSK and LSG in the fray as well.
Rachin Ravindra
New Zealand's breakout star Rachin Ravindra did decently for CSK but still had the axe after their torrid season in 2025. The southpaw is known for his batting prowess at the top and can be a top prospect for other teams before the auction. Notably, KKR, with their fat purse, won't mind acquiring his services beforehand. A fee of around 5-6 crore for Ravindra is a decent deal, and KKR can exercise this opportunity. Delhi Capitals would also be interested in him.
Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer had a fortune in IPL 2025, but his performance did not justify the mammoth pay-check. The Indian batter has been subsequently released by KKR and is likely to be in the auction. But teams such as Sunrisers Hyderabad or Rajasthan Royals can eye him for that middle-order role, and a deal before the IPL 2026 auction can be on the cards. If that doesn't materialize, KKR may eye to snap him at a lower price, much lower than the Rs 23.75 crore they paid in the mega auction.
