CSK has traded Ravindra Jadeja for Sanju Samson to RR. The IPL 2026 retention deadline closed on November 15, 2025.
All 10 franchises announced which players they’re keeping and which ones they’re letting go before the mega auction in Abu Dhabi.
This article provides complete team-wise lists of retained and released players, exact salaries, purse details, and analysis for the upcoming season.
IPL 2026 Retention Highlights
The retention window brought huge decisions in all franchises. Here are the key takeaways:
| Team | Key Retained players | Notable Releases | Purse Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSK | Sanju Samson (₹18cr), Ruturaj Gaikwad (₹18cr) | Matheesha Pathirana (₹13cr), Devon Conway (₹6.25cr) | ₹43.4 crore |
| DC | KL Rahul (₹14cr), Mitchell Starc (₹11.75cr) | Faf du Plessis (₹2cr), Jake Fraser-McGurk (₹9cr) | ₹21.8 crore |
| GT | Shubman Gill (₹16.5cr), Rashid Khan (₹18cr) | Dasun Shanaka (₹0.75cr), Gerald Coetzee (₹2.4cr) | ₹12.9 crore |
| KKR | Rinku Singh (₹13cr), Sunil Narine (₹12cr) | Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75cr), Andre Russell (₹12cr) | ₹64.3 crore |
| LSG | Rishabh Pant (₹27cr), Nicholas Pooran (₹21cr) | David Miller (₹7.50cr), Ravi Bishnoi (₹8cr) | ₹22.95 crore |
| MI | Jasprit Bumrah (₹18cr), Hardik Pandya (₹16.35cr) | Bevon Jacobs (₹0.3cr), Reece Topley (₹0.75cr) | ₹2.75 crore |
| PBKS | Shreyas Iyer (₹26.75cr), Yuzvendra Chahal (₹18cr) | Aaron Hardie (₹1.25cr), Glenn Maxwell (₹4.2cr) | ₹11.5 crore |
| RCB | Virat Kohli (₹21cr), Phil Salt (₹11.5cr) | Liam Livingstone (₹8.75cr), Lungi Ngidi (₹1cr) | ₹16.4 crore |
| RR | Yashaswi Jaiswal (₹18cr), Jofra Archer (₹12.5cr) | Wanindu Hasaranga (₹5.25cr), Maheesh Theekshana (₹4.4cr) | ₹16.05 crore |
| SRH | Heinrich Klaasen (₹23cr), Pat Cummins (₹18cr) | Wiaan Mulder (₹0.75cr), Atharva Taide (₹0.3cr) | ₹25.5 crore |
- Major retentions: Virat Kohli (RCB, ₹21 crore), Rishabh Pant (LSG, ₹27 crore), Shreyas Iyer (PBKS, ₹26.75 crore), and Rohit Sharma (MI, ₹16.3 crore)
- Biggest trades: Ravindra Jadeja to RR (₹14 crore), Sanju Samson to CSK (₹18 crore), and Mohammad Shami to LSG (₹10 crore)
- Biggest releases: Venkatesh Iyer (KKR, ₹23.75 crore), Faf du Plessis (DC, ₹2 crore), Andre Russell (KKR, ₹12 crore), Maheesh Theekshana (RR, ₹4.4 crore)
- Highest purse available: Kolkata Knight Riders with ₹64.3 crore for 13 slots
- Lowest purse available: Mumbai Indians with ₹2.75 crore for 5 slots
IPL 2026 Retained Players – Team-Wise Full List
All 10 franchises retained 173 players with individual salary details. Here’s the complete breakdown.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 16 (4 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹81.6 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹43.4 crore
Indian Players:
- Sanju Samson (T) – ₹18 crore
- Ruturaj Gaikwad – ₹18 crore
- Shivam Dube – ₹12 crore
- Syed Khaleel Ahmed – ₹4.8 crore
- MS Dhoni – ₹4 crore
- Anshul Kamboj – ₹3.4 crore
- Shreyas Gopal – ₹30 lakh
- Gurjapneet Singh – ₹2.2 crore
- Mukesh Choudhary – ₹30 lakh
- Ramakrishna Ghosh – ₹30 lakh
- Ayush Mhatre – ₹30 lakh
- Urvil Patel – ₹30 lakh
Overseas Players:
- Noor Ahmad – ₹10 crore
- Dewald Brevis – ₹2.2 crore
- Nathan Ellis – ₹2 crore
- Jamie Overton – ₹1.5 crore
CSK traded in Sanju Samson at ₹18 crore, making him their joint-highest paid player alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad.
They retained MS Dhoni at ₹4 crore for mentorship. With ₹43.4 crore remaining (second-highest), they can target premium players at the auction.
Delhi Capitals (DC) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 17 (3 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹103.2 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹21.8 crore
Indian Players:
- Axar Patel – ₹16.5 crore
- KL Rahul – ₹14 crore
- Kuldeep Yadav – ₹13.25 crore
- T. Natarajan – ₹10.75 crore
- Mukesh Kumar – ₹8 crore
- Nitish Rana (T) – ₹4.2 crore
- Abhishek Porel – ₹4 crore
- Ashutosh Sharma – ₹3.8 crore
- Sameer Rizvi – ₹95 lakh
- Vipraj Nigam – ₹50 lakh
- Madhav Tiwari – ₹40 lakh
- Ajay Mandal – ₹30 lakh
- Tripurana Vijay – ₹30 lakh
Overseas Players:
- Mitchell Starc – ₹11.75 crore
- Tristan Stubbs – ₹10 crore
- Dushmantha Chameera – ₹75 lakh
DC invested heavily in KL Rahul (₹14 crore) and Mitchell Starc (₹11.75 crore) as their core. They traded Nitish Rana for ₹4.2 crore. With only 3 overseas players retained, they have 5 overseas slots available for the auction.
Gujarat Titans (GT) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 20 (4 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹112.1 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹12.9 crore
Indian Players:
- Shubman Gill – ₹16.5 crore
- Mohammad Siraj – ₹12.25 crore
- Prasidh Krishna – ₹9.5 crore
- Sai Sudharsan – ₹8.5 crore
- Shahrukh Khan – ₹4 crore
- Rahul Tewatia – ₹4 crore
- Washington Sundar – ₹3.2 crore
- R. Sai Kishore – ₹2 crore
- Mohd. Arshad Khan – ₹1.3 crore
- Gurnoor Singh Brar – ₹1.3 crore
- Jayant Yadav – ₹75 lakh
- Ishant Sharma – ₹75 lakh
- Kumar Kushagra – ₹65 lakh
- Manav Suthar – ₹30 lakh
- Nishant Sindhu – ₹30 lakh
- Anuj Rawat – ₹30 lakh
Overseas Players:
- Rashid Khan – ₹18 crore
- Jos Buttler – ₹15.75 crore
- Kagiso Rabada – ₹10.75 crore
- Glenn Phillips – ₹2 crore
GT built a strong bowling unit with Mohammad Siraj (₹12.25 crore), Kagiso Rabada (₹10.75 crore), and Rashid Khan (₹18 crore). They retained 20 players, leaving only five slots and ₹12.9 crore for the auction.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 12 (2 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹60.7 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹64.3 crore
Indian Players:
- Rinku Singh – ₹13 crore
- Harshit Rana – ₹4 crore
- Ramandeep Singh – ₹4 crore
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi – ₹3 crore
- Vaibhav Arora – ₹1.8 crore
- Ajinkya Rahane – ₹1.5 crore
- Manish Pandey – ₹75 lakh
- Umran Malik – ₹75 lakh
- Anukul Roy – ₹40 lakh
- Varun Chakaravarthy – ₹12 crore
Overseas Players:
- Sunil Narine – ₹12 crore
- Rovman Powell – ₹1.5 crore
KKR released several big names to create the largest auction purse (₹64.3 crore). They kept their core of Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, and Varun Chakaravarthy. With 13 slots available (6 overseas), they can rebuild aggressively.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 19 (4 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹102.05 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹22.95 crore
Indian Players:
- Rishabh Pant – ₹27 crore
- Mayank Yadav – ₹11 crore
- Md Shami (T) – ₹10 crore
- Avesh Khan – ₹9.75 crore
- Abdul Samad – ₹4.2 crore
- Ayush Badoni – ₹4 crore
- Mohsin Khan – ₹4 crore
- Shahbaz Ahmed – ₹2.4 crore
- Manimaran Siddharth – ₹75 lakh
- Prince Yadav – ₹30 lakh
- Akash Singh – ₹30 lakh
- Arjun Tendulkar (T) – ₹30 lakh
- Arshin Kulkarni – ₹30 lakh
- Digvesh Rathi – ₹30 lakh
- Himmat Singh – ₹30 lakh
Overseas Players:
- Nicholas Pooran – ₹21 crore
- Aiden Markram – ₹2 crore
- Mitchell Marsh – ₹3.4 crore
- Matthew Breetzke – ₹75 lakh
LSG made the tournament’s biggest acquisition by securing Rishabh Pant at ₹27 crore (the highest salary). They paired him with Nicholas Pooran (₹21 crore) and retained Mohammad Shami through trade (₹10 crore). With ₹22.95 crore left, they need quality spinners.
Mumbai Indians (MI) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 20 (7 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹122.25 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹2.75 crore
Indian Players:
- Jasprit Bumrah – ₹18 crore
- Hardik Pandya – ₹16.35 crore
- Rohit Sharma – ₹16.3 crore
- Suryakumar Yadav – ₹16.35 crore
- Deepak Chahar – ₹9.25 crore
- Tilak Verma – ₹8 crore
- Naman Dhir – ₹5.25 crore
- Shardul Thakur (T) – ₹2 crore
- Robin Minz – ₹65 lakh
- Mayank Markande (T) – ₹30 lakh
- Ashwani Kumar – ₹30 lakh
- Raghu Sharma – ₹30 lakh
- Raj Angad Bawa – ₹30 lakh
Overseas Players:
- Trent Boult – ₹12.5 crore
- Will Jacks – ₹5.25 crore
- Allah Ghazanfar – ₹4.8 crore
- Sherfane Rutherford (T) – ₹2.6 crore
- Mitchell Santner – ₹2 crore
- Ryan Rickelton – ₹1 crore
- Corbin Bosch – ₹75 lakh
MI spent the most (₹122.25 crore) to keep their core intact. They have four players earning over ₹16 crore each. With just ₹2.75 crore left and 5 slots (1 overseas), they must find budget players.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 21 (6 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹113.5 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹11.5 crore
Indian Players:
- Shreyas Iyer – ₹26.75 crore
- Yuzvendra Chahal – ₹18 crore
- Arshdeep Singh – ₹18 crore
- Shashank Singh – ₹5.5 crore
- Nehal Wadhera – ₹4.2 crore
- Prabhsimran Singh – ₹4 crore
- Priyansh Arya – ₹3.8 crore
- Vyshak Vijaykumar – ₹1.8 crore
- Yash Thakur – ₹1.6 crore
- Harpreet Brar – ₹1.5 crore
- Vishnu Vinod – ₹95 lakh
- Musheer Khan – ₹30 lakh
- Harnoor Pannu – ₹30 lakh
- Pyla Avinash – ₹30 lakh
- Suryansh Shedge – ₹30 lakh
Overseas Players:
- Marcus Stoinis – ₹11 crore
- Marco Jansen – ₹7 crore
- Mitch Owen – ₹3 crore
- Azmatullah Omarzai – ₹2.4 crore
- Lockie Ferguson – ₹2 crore
- Xavier Bartlett – ₹80 lakh
PBKS brought in Shreyas Iyer at ₹26.75 crore (second-highest salary) as their new captain. They retained 21 players (most among all teams), leaving only four slots and ₹11.5 crore for fine-tuning.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 16 (7 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹108.95 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹16.05 crore
Indian Players:
- Yashaswi Jaiswal – ₹18 crore
- Dhruv Jurel – ₹14 crore
- Ravindra Jadeja (T) – ₹14 crore
- Riyan Parag – ₹14 crore
- Tushar Deshpande – ₹6.5 crore
- Sandeep Sharma – ₹4 crore
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi – ₹1.1 crore
- Shubham Dubey – ₹80 lakh
- Yudhvir Charak – ₹35 lakh
Overseas Players:
- Jofra Archer – ₹12.5 crore
- Shimron Hetmyer – ₹11 crore
- Nandre Burger – ₹3.5 crore
- Sam Curran (T) – ₹2.4 crore
- Kwena Maphaka – ₹1.5 crore
- Donovan Ferreira (T) – ₹1 crore
- Lhuan-Dre Pretorious – ₹30 lakh
RR retained the most overseas players (7), including Jofra Archer (₹12.5 crore). They traded in Ravindra Jadeja (₹14 crore) and Sam Curran (₹2.4 crore). With ₹16.05 crore left and only 1 overseas slot available, they’ll focus on Indian players at the auction.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 17 (6 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹108.6 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹16.4 crore
Indian Players:
- Virat Kohli – ₹21 crore
- Rajat Patidar – ₹11 crore
- Jitesh Sharma – ₹11 crore
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar – ₹10.75 crore
- Yash Dayal – ₹5 crore
- Rasikh Dar – ₹6 crore
- Krunal Pandya – ₹5.75 crore
- Suyash Sharma – ₹2.6 crore
- Devdutt Padikkal – ₹2 crore
- Swapnil Singh – ₹50 lakh
- Abhinandan Singh – ₹30 lakh
Overseas Players:
- Josh Hazlewood – ₹12.5 crore
- Phil Salt – ₹11.5 crore
- Tim David – ₹3 crore
- Jacob Bethell – ₹2.6 crore
- Nuwan Thushara – ₹1.6 crore
- Romario Shepherd – ₹1.5 crore
RCB kept Virat Kohli at ₹21 crore and invested heavily in Phil Salt (₹11.5 crore) and Josh Hazlewood (₹12.5 crore). They have ₹16.4 crore for 8 slots (2 overseas) to complete their squad.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – Retained Players
- Total Players: 15 (6 overseas)
- Money Spent: ₹99.5 crore
- Purse Remaining: ₹25.5 crore
Indian Players:
- Abhishek Sharma – ₹14 crore
- Ishan Kishan – ₹11.25 crore
- Harshal Patel – ₹8 crore
- Nitish Kumar Reddy – ₹6 crore
- Jaydev Unadkat – ₹1 crore
- Zeeshan Ansari – ₹40 lakh
- Aniket Verma – ₹30 lakh
- Harsh Dubey – ₹30 lakh
- Smaran Ravichandaran – ₹30 lakh
Overseas Players:
- Heinrich Klaasen – ₹23 crore
- Pat Cummins – ₹18 crore
- Travis Head – ₹14 crore
- Eshan Malinga – ₹1.2 crore
- Brydon Carse – ₹1 crore
- Kamindu Mendis – ₹75 lakh
SRH retained their power-hitting core with Heinrich Klaasen (₹23 crore, second-highest after Pant), Travis Head (₹14 crore), and Abhishek Sharma (₹14 crore). With ₹25.5 crore and 10 slots available, they have flexibility to add quality spinners.
IPL 2026 Released Players – Team-Wise Complete List
Based on official documents, here are all released players with their previous salaries and reasons for release.
CSK – Released Players
Total Released: 11 players (4 overseas)
| Player | Previous Salary | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matheesha Pathirana | ₹13 crore | Fast bowler | High salary, overseas limit |
| Devon Conway | ₹6.25 crore | Opener/WK | Overseas management |
| Rachin Ravindra | ₹4 crore | All-rounder | Overseas management |
| Sam Curran | ₹2.4 crore | All-rounder | Traded to RR |
| Rahul Tripathi | ₹3.4 crore | Batsman | Squad restructuring |
| Deepak Chahar | ₹1.7 crore | Fast bowler | Moved to MI |
| Kamlesh Nagarkoti | ₹30 lakh | Fast bowler | Fitness concerns |
| Andre Siddarth | ₹30 lakh | Batsman | Limited opportunities |
| Shaik Rasheed | ₹30 lakh | Batsman | Squad balance |
| Vansh Bedi | ₹55 lakh | Spinner | Limited game time |
| Vijay Shankar | ₹1.2 crore | All-rounder | Performance issues |
CSK released Matheesha Pathirana (₹13 crore) and Devon Conway (₹6.25 crore) to free up significant purse and overseas slots. The trade of Sam Curran and the release of Rachin Ravindra show their focus on building around Sanju Samson.
DC – Released Players
Total Released: 6 players (3 overseas)
| Player | Previous Salary | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Fraser-McGurk | ₹9 crore | Opener | High salary, performance |
| Faf du Plessis | ₹2 crore | Opener | Age factor |
| Mohit Sharma | ₹2.2 crore | Fast bowler | Form concerns |
| Sediqullah Atal | ₹1.25 crore | Batsman | Limited impact |
| Manvanth Kumar | ₹30 lakh | Fast bowler | Squad balance |
| Darshan Nalkande | ₹30 lakh | All-rounder | Limited opportunities |
DC’s release of Jake Fraser-McGurk (₹9 crore) was surprising given his potential. Faf du Plessis’s release at age 41 was expected. These moves created space for KL Rahul and Mitchell Starc.
GT – Released Players
Total Released: 5 players (3 overseas)
| Player | Previous Salary | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maheesh Theekshana | ₹4.4 crore | Spinner | Overseas management |
| Gerald Coetzee | ₹2.4 crore | Fast bowler | Injury concerns |
| Kulwant Khejroliya | ₹30 lakh | Fast bowler | Limited game time |
| Dasun Shanaka | ₹75 lakh | All-rounder | Performance issues |
| Karim Janat | ₹75 lakh | All-rounder | Overseas balance |
| Mahipal Lomror | ₹1.7 crore | All-rounder | Squad restructuring |
Analysis: GT released quality overseas players like Maheesh Theekshana (₹4.4 crore) to accommodate Jos Buttler (₹15.75 crore). With a limited purse remaining (₹12.9 crore), these were necessary cuts.
KKR – Released Players
Total Released: 9 players (6 overseas)
| Player | Previous Salary | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venkatesh Iyer | ₹23.75 crore | All-rounder | Highest release, auction strategy |
| Andre Russell | ₹12 crore | All-rounder | Age, declining performance |
| Quinton de Kock | ₹3.6 crore | Opener/WK | Overseas management |
| Anrich Nortje | ₹6.5 crore | Fast bowler | Injury concerns |
| Moeen Ali | ₹2 crore | All-rounder | Limited impact |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | ₹2 crore | WK/Batsman | Overseas balance |
| Spencer Johnson | ₹2.8 crore | Fast bowler | Overseas slots |
| Chetan Sakariya | ₹75 lakh | Fast bowler | Form issues |
| Luvnith Sisodia | ₹30 lakh | WK/Batsman | Limited opportunities |
Analysis: KKR’s release of Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore) and Andre Russell (₹12 crore) was the tournament’s biggest shock. They cleared ₹64.3 crore to rebuild through the auction, showing aggressive intent.
LSG – Released Players
LSG released minimal players as they retained 19. No major releases were documented as they focused on acquiring Rishabh Pant and Mohammad Shami through trades.
MI – Released Players
Total Released: 8 players (4 overseas)
| Player | Previous Salary | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lizaad Williams | ₹75 lakh | Fast bowler | Limited opportunities |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | ₹2 crore | Spinner | Overseas management |
| Reece Topley | ₹75 lakh | Fast bowler | Injury history |
| Karn Sharma | ₹50 lakh | Spinner | Age factor |
| Shrijith Krishnan | ₹30 lakh | WK/Batsman | Squad balance |
| V. Satyanarayana Perimetta | ₹30 lakh | Fast bowler | Limited game time |
| Vignesh Puthur | ₹30 lakh | Fast bowler | Squad restructuring |
| Bevan John Jacobs | ₹30 lakh | All-rounder | Performance issues |
Analysis: MI made minimal releases, keeping 20 players. They released fringe players to create ₹2.75 crore, showing confidence in their retained core.
PBKS – Released Players
Total Released: 5 players (3 overseas)
| Player | Previous Salary | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenn Maxwell | ₹4.2 crore | All-rounder | Performance concerns |
| Josh Inglis | ₹2.6 crore | WK/Batsman | Overseas balance |
| Aaron Hardie | ₹1.25 crore | All-rounder | Limited impact |
| Kuldeep Sen | ₹80 lakh | Fast bowler | Injury concerns |
| Pravin Dubey | ₹30 lakh | Spinner | Limited opportunities |
Analysis: PBKS released Glenn Maxwell (₹4.2 crore) despite his reputation, likely due to inconsistent form. With Shreyas Iyer (₹26.75 crore) brought in, they restructured their leadership.
RCB – Released Players
Total Released: 6 players (2 overseas)
| Player | Previous Salary | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liam Livingstone | ₹8.75 crore | All-rounder | High salary, performance |
| Manoj Bhandage | ₹30 lakh | Fast bowler | Limited game time |
| Lungi Ngidi | ₹1 crore | Fast bowler | Injury concerns |
| Swastik Chhikara | ₹30 lakh | Batsman | Squad balance |
| Mayank Agarwal | ₹1 crore | Batsman | Lack of form |
| Mohit Rathee | ₹30 lakh | All-rounder | Limited opportunities |
Analysis: RCB released Liam Livingstone (₹8.75 crore) to bring in Phil Salt (₹11.5 crore). This shows their intent to strengthen their batting core around Virat Kohli.
RR – Released Players
Total Released: 7 players (3 overseas)
| Player | Previous Salary | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maheesh Theekshana | ₹4.4 crore | Spinner | Traded from GT |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | ₹5.25 crore | All-rounder | Overseas management |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | ₹2 crore | Fast bowler | Overseas slots |
| Akash Madhwal | ₹1.2 crore | Fast bowler | Injury concerns |
| Kumar Kartikeya Singh | ₹30 lakh | Spinner | Limited game time |
| Kunal Rathore | ₹30 lakh | All-rounder | Squad balance |
| Ashok Sharma | ₹30 lakh | Batsman | Performance issues |
Analysis: RR released quality overseas bowlers Wanindu Hasaranga (₹5.25 crore) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (₹2 crore) to accommodate their seven retained overseas players.
SRH – Released Players
Total Released: 7 players (2 overseas)
| Player | Previous Salary | Role | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rahul Chahar | ₹3.2 crore | Spinner | Form issues |
| Abhinav Manohar | ₹3.2 crore | Batsman | Limited opportunities |
| Sachin Baby | ₹30 lakh | Batsman | Age factor |
| Atharva Taide | ₹30 lakh | Batsman | Squad balance |
| Simarjeet Singh | ₹1.5 crore | Fast bowler |
Performance concerns | | Adam Zampa | ₹2.4 crore | Spinner | Overseas management | | Wiaan Mulder | ₹75 lakh | All-rounder | Limited impact |
Analysis: SRH released Rahul Chahar (₹3.2 crore) and Adam Zampa (₹2.4 crore) to create space for their retained overseas players. With ₹25.5 crore available, they can target quality spinners at the auction.
IPL 2026 Purse Remaining After Player Retentions
The remaining purse determines each team’s auction strategy. Teams with larger purses can bid for premium players, while those with limited funds must find value options.
| Team | Purse Available | Slots Left | Overseas Slots Left | Average Budget Per Slot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KKR | ₹64.3 crore | 13 | 6 | ₹4.95 crore |
| CSK | ₹43.4 crore | 9 | 4 | ₹4.82 crore |
| SRH | ₹25.5 crore | 10 | 2 | ₹2.55 crore |
| LSG | ₹22.95 crore | 6 | 4 | ₹3.83 crore |
| DC | ₹21.8 crore | 8 | 5 | ₹2.73 crore |
| RCB | ₹16.4 crore | 8 | 2 | ₹2.05 crore |
| RR | ₹16.05 crore | 9 | 1 | ₹1.78 crore |
| GT | ₹12.9 crore | 5 | 4 | ₹2.58 crore |
| PBKS | ₹11.5 crore | 4 | 2 | ₹2.88 crore |
| MI | ₹2.75 crore | 5 | 1 | ₹55 lakh |
Key Insights:
- KKR and CSK have over ₹4 crore per slot, allowing them to target premium players
- Mumbai Indians must find players under ₹1 crore each, severely limiting their options
- SRH has the most slots (10) but a modest budget, requiring smart bargain hunting
- RR has 9 slots, but only 1 overseas spot available, forcing them to focus on Indian talent
Why Teams Retained & Released These Players
1. Salary Management: Teams released high-salary players when they felt they could get better value at the auction.
KKR’s release of Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore) exemplifies this approach. Similarly, RCB let go of Liam Livingstone (₹8.75 crore) to invest in Phil Salt (₹11.5 crore).
2. Youth vs Experience: Teams balanced young talent with experienced players. CSK kept MS Dhoni (₹4 crore) for mentorship.
Source: Mint
Investing in Ayush Mhatre (₹30 lakh). SRH retained Abhishek Sharma (₹14 crore) alongside Pat Cummins (₹18 crore).
3. Overseas Combination Planning: With only 4 overseas players allowed per match, teams made tough choices.
RR retained 7 overseas players (most among all teams), giving them flexibility. GT released Maheesh Theekshana (₹4.4 crore) to fit in Jos Buttler (₹15.75 crore).
4. Injury Concerns: Players with recurring injuries were released. KKR let go of Anrich Nortje (₹6.5 crore) due to his injury history. RCB released Lungi Ngidi (₹1 crore) for similar reasons.
5. Performance-Based Decisions: Underperforming players were released regardless of reputation.
PBKS released Glenn Maxwell (₹4.2 crore) after inconsistent seasons. KKR parted ways with Andre Russell (₹12 crore) due to declining returns.
6. Leadership Changes: Teams bringing in new captains restructured their squads.
PBKS acquired Shreyas Iyer (₹26.75 crore) as captain. CSK traded for Sanju Samson (₹18 crore), likely as future captain.
Teams like KKR intentionally created large purses by releasing multiple players. Their ₹64.3 crore gives them power to dominate the auction and build a fresh squad.
Biggest Surprises and Strategic Masterstrokes
- Ravindra Jadeja to RR (₹14 crore): One of IPL’s biggest trades. Jadeja spent over a decade with CSK, becoming synonymous with the franchise. His move to RR marks the end of an era at CSK.
- Venkatesh Iyer Released (₹23.75 crore): KKR’s biggest gamble. Releasing their highest-paid player shows they value auction flexibility over continuity.
- Sanju Samson to CSK (₹18 crore): CSK’s succession planning becomes clear. Samson likely takes over captaincy from MS Dhoni, ensuring smooth transition.
- Andre Russell Released: KKR parted ways with their long-time match-winner, signaling the end of an era.
- Mumbai Indians’ Spending: MI’s ₹122.25 crore spend (highest) shows their commitment to their core, but leaves them with minimal auction flexibility.
- Glenn Maxwell Released: Both PBKS and RCB let go of Maxwell at different times, showing teams value consistency over occasional brilliance.
- Mohammad Shami Trade: LSG secured India’s premier fast bowler through trade at ₹10 crore, a strategic coup.
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Conclusion: CSK Releases Ravindra Jadeja; Rishabh Pant Becomes Most Expensive Retained Player
The IPL 2026 retentions show 173 players continuing with their franchises, with teams spending ₹1,012.45 crore combined.
Rishabh Pant became the highest-paid player at ₹27 crore. KKR created ₹64.3 crore by releasing Venkatesh Iyer, while MI spent ₹122.25 crore keeping their core intact.
The December 16 auction in Abu Dhabi will fill 77 slots. Released players like Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, and Glenn Maxwell will attract major bids as teams complete their championship-winning squads.
FAQs
Each team can field a maximum of 4 overseas players in their playing XI, though they can retain more in their squad.
Punjab Kings retained the most players with 21, followed by Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans with 20 each.
Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (₹13 crore), Andre Russell (₹12 crore), and Jake Fraser-McGurk (₹9 crore) are the highest-paid released players.
Teams can trade players before the auction deadline. Major trades included Rishabh Pant to LSG, Sanju Samson to CSK, Mohammad Shami to LSG, and Ravindra Jadeja to RR.
5.Kolkata Knight Riders have 6 overseas slots available, the most among all teams.
A total of 77 player slots are available across all 10 teams for the December 16 auction.
