The ten Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have unveiled their player retentions ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, which is slated to take place next month. Several high-profile names have been released
and will now go under the hammer, as all teams officially confirmed their retained squads on Saturday (November 15).
Kolkata Knight Riders have released the most expensive player on the list, parting ways with Venkatesh Iyer, who was signed for a massive Rs 23.75 crore. The two-time champions have also let go of Spencer Johnson and Anrich Nortje. However, the biggest exit is that of Andre Russell, marking the end of his 12-year stint with KKR as he heads to the auction pool.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru have moved on from English all-rounder Liam Livingstone, while young Indian pacer Rasikh Dar has also been released. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings have strengthened their lineup by acquiring Sanju Samson via a trade deal but have released Sri Lankan speedster Matheesha Pathirana.
Punjab Kings opted for a conservative approach with minimal releases this season. Yet, Australian star Glenn Maxwell will return to the auction after an underwhelming IPL 2025 campaign. On the other hand, Lucknow Super Giants have decided to release Akash Deep and Ravi Bishnoi, while Gujarat Titans have parted ways with South African pacer Gerald Coetzee.
In a major trade move, Rajasthan Royals lost skipper Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings, but brought in Ravindra Jadeja as part of the exchange. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have been active in the trade window, securing Shardul Thakur (from LSG), Sherfane Rutherford (from GT), and Mayank Markande (from KKR).
Interestingly, players who have been released still have the option to join other franchises directly before the auction if they can finalize a deal in time.
IPL 2026 Auction: Who are heading with the Biggest Purse?
In terms of the auction purses, Kolkata Knight Riders are heading with the biggest as they will head into the mini auction with a chest or Rs 64.3 crore. Along with that, the KKR side has the opportunity to fill in 13 spots. Mumbai Indians are heading into the auction with the least amount of purse with just Rs 2.75 crore. Chennai Super Kings also head into the auction with Rs 43.4 crore war chest, while RCB have a purse of around Rs 16 crore.
IPL 2026 Auction Purses and Remaining Slots
| Team | Purse Remaining (in Rs Crore) | Slots Remaining |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 64.3 | 13 |
| Mumbai Indians | 2.75 | 5 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 22.95 | 6 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 16.4 | 8 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 16.05 | 9 |
| Chennai Super Kings | 43.4 | 9 |
| Delhi Capitals | 21.8 | 8 |
| Punjab Kings | 11.5 | 4 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 25.5 | 10 |
| Gujarat Titans | 12.9 | 5 |
