From Andre Russell to Matheesha Pathirana: Here’s the complete list of players released ahead of IPL 2026 auction

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 retention deadline day has concluded with a flurry of strategic decisions and blockbuster trades, setting the stage for a dramatic mini-auction in December.

While core teams retained their captains and match-winners, several high-value international and domestic players were unexpectedly released. This strategic clearing of the decks by franchises like Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings is designed to maximize their remaining purse, allowing them to target specific, high-impact replacements. The release of long-time franchise pillars like Andre Russell and the headline-making trade of Sanju Samson and Ravindra Jadeja underscore a definitive shift in team-building philosophy. The released players, including Matheesha Pathirana and Venkatesh Iyer, will now make the auction pool incredibly competitive, promising intense bidding wars.

The Super Kings have executed a massive overhaul, highlighted by the high-profile trade that sent their star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (India, All-rounder) and Sam Curran (England, All-rounder) to the Rajasthan Royals in exchange for captain Sanju Samson (India, Wicketkeeper/Batter).

This move, while securing a long-term leader and top-order batsman, has necessitated the release of several other key foreign and domestic players to rebalance the squad. The releases include talented Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana and opening batsman Devon Conway, freeing up significant purse space for targeted auction buys. CSK will now focus on strengthening their spin attack and lower-order hitting power.

Kolkata Knight Riders have opted for the most radical restructuring, releasing as many as nine players, including their long-serving Caribbean powerhouse, Andre Russell, who is a T20 all-rounder. The most surprising release is that of Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, whom they had purchased for a record sum, indicating a major shift in team strategy following an underwhelming previous season. By shedding a significant portion of their salary cap with these high-value releases, KKR has accumulated the largest available purse to aggressively bid for a new core group, especially for a captain and wicketkeeper-batter.

Mumbai Indians have been relatively quieter on the release front, focusing instead on targeted trades to shore up specific areas of their squad, acquiring Shardul Thakur (India, All-rounder) and Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies, Batter/All-rounder). Their release list is minimal, likely targeting players who struggled to find a regular place in the playing XI. They released experienced pacers and spinners, allowing them to maintain their core structure and only address minor gaps in their fast bowling and spin departments in the auction.

RCB released a significant number of players to restructure around their retained core. The most notable release is the explosive all-rounder Liam Livingstone, who is an English batter and spin bowler. Key pacers Lungi Ngidi (South Africa) and Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe) were also released, indicating a strategic need to rebuild their pace bowling attack. By retaining a smaller core, RCB has a flexible purse to enter the auction and secure top-tier foreign fast bowlers or a high-impact domestic all-rounder.

SRH were heavily involved in the trade market, releasing their star pacer Mohammed Shami (India, Bowler) to LSG. Beyond the trade, SRH released two key international players: leg-spinner Adam Zampa (Australia) and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder (South Africa). The most notable domestic release is leg-spinner Rahul Chahar. Their moves show a clear intent to rebalance their bowling attack and fill the hole left by Shami, likely targeting another frontline Indian pacer and a wrist-spinner in the auction.

Punjab Kings surprised many by releasing a significant Australian core, most notably star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis. They also let go of pacers like Kuldeep Sen (India) and all-rounder Aaron Hardie (Australia). This strategic pruning suggests a desire to reduce a high salary cap tied up in non-core players. PBKS will enter the mini-auction to find a top-order Indian batter and a reliable death bowler to complement their retained overseas all-rounders.

were at the heart of the trade action, sending captain Sanju Samson (India, Wicketkeeper/Batter) to CSK and bringing back former hero Ravindra Jadeja (India, All-rounder) and Sam Curran (England, All-rounder). Key international releases include Sri Lankan spin twins Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana. The move to acquire Jadeja, an established spinner, allowed them to free up funds by releasing their overseas spin options, which will be reinvested in a frontline fast bowler or a world-class finisher.

Lucknow Super Giants had an active day of trades, acquiring star pacer Mohammed Shami (India, Bowler) from SRH. They released pacer David Miller (South Africa) and wrist-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (India), two major strategic departures. The release of Bishnoi suggests a desire to reset their spin options, while freeing up funds. LSG also traded out Shardul Thakur (India, All-rounder) to MI. Their auction focus will be on replacing their outgoing spinners and securing a consistent Indian middle-order batter.

Gujarat Titans were quieter on the release front, having traded out Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies, Batter/All-rounder) to MI. The most notable releases include South African pacer Gerald Coetzee and Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka. They have focused on retaining their star players like Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, and Jos Buttler. GT will enter the auction looking for a high-impact overseas all-rounder and a reliable middle-order Indian batsman to strengthen the core around their retained players.

The Delhi Capitals were active on the trade deadline day, acquiring batter Nitish Rana (India, Batter) from Rajasthan Royals in exchange for all-rounder Donovan Ferreira (South Africa, All-rounder). The franchise, led by Axar Patel, made strategic releases to free up funds for key targets in the auction, particularly focusing on their overseas batting options. They surprisingly released their veteran and successful former overseas captain, Faf du Plessis, along with the explosive Australian opener, Jake Fraser-McGurk. By retaining a solid Indian core of batters and spinners, DC will now enter the auction aiming to strengthen their fast-bowling unit and find a new high-impact foreign player.

Also READ: IPL 2026 Retentions: Kavya Maran’s SRH react after trading Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Delhi Capitals (DC)

Mumbai Indians (MI)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Gujarat Titans (GT)

Also READ: Preity Zinta’s Punjab Kings part ways with Glenn Maxwell ahead of IPL 2026 auction