Venkatesh Iyer, Mohammed Shami & Deepak Chahar (Getty Images) The IPL 2026 retention deadline is around the corner and the teams have until November 15 to announce their rosters. As the franchises prepare for next month’s upcoming mini-auction, there are intense discussions about who will stay and who will go. Before teams finalize their rosters, they consider wallet balance, player form, injury concerns and overall value. Since this is not a mega auction, franchises have the flexibility to retain or release as many players as they want, provided they abide by the rules: maximum squad size of 25 players, up to 8 overseas and a salary cap of ₹120 crore.
Mumbai Indians IPL deals, holdouts, releases, squad updates: All eyes on captain Hardik Pandya
The retention window was already dominated by the sensational trade between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings that included Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. As reported by TimesofIndia.com , RR have traded Samson to CSK in exchange for Jadeja and Curran – the deal is almost done and is expected to be announced soon. Ahead of the retention deadline, here are the top 10 players who can be released ahead of IPL 2026:1. Sunrisers Hyderabad – Mohammed Shami Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami failed to justify his ₹10 crore price tag after SRH went all out for him last season. After releasing Bhuvneshwar Kumar earlier, SRH banked on Shami as a reliable seamer but he managed just 6 wickets in 9 games at an average of 56.17. SRH can now look to reinvest that money into a more consistent performance.2. Kolkata Knight Riders – Venkatesh Iyer KKR spent a massive ₹23.75 crore on Venkatesh Iyer during last year’s mega auction, but the move didn’t pay off. The all-rounder managed just 142 runs in 11 matches at an average of 20.29 and a strike rate of 139.22. With such a high amount tied up, KKR are expected to release him and perhaps buy him back at a much lower price to shore up their wallet. 3. Mumbai Indians – Deepak Chahar MI signed Deepak Chahar for ₹9.25 crore in 2025, but his returns were modest – 11 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 34.18 and an economy rate of 9.17. His recurring injuries and struggles in dying situations made him a danger. MI may consider releasing him to free up funds or re-sign him at a cheaper price. 4. Lucknow Super Giants – Mayank Yadav Mayank Yadav’s promising IPL career has been derailed by injuries. Retained for ₹11 crore last year, he appeared in only 2 games in IPL 2025. Given the uncertainty surrounding his fitness, LSG may release him to raise a significant chunk of the mini-auction funds. 5. Lucknow Super Giants – Ravi Bishnoi Retaining ₹11 crore, Ravi Bishnoi’s form has dropped drastically in IPL 2025. He managed just 9 wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of 10.84. LSG could release him to freshen up their bowling department and possibly bring him back at a lower price. 6. Kolkata Knight Riders – Anrich Nortje Anrich Nortje, bought for ₹6.5 million, his recurring injuries limited his impact. The South African pacer has played just 2 matches in IPL 2025, taking a solitary wicket at an economy of 11.86. KKR is likely to release him to make room for overseas options. 7. Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Liam Livingstone Defending champions RCB have a largely settled squad but could part ways with Liam Livingston to bolster their purse strings. After being bought for ₹8.75 crore, he scored just 112 runs in 10 games at an average of 16 and a strike rate of 133.33, taking only 2 wickets. 8. Delhi Capitals – Jake Fraser-McGurk DC spent ₹9 crore (using the RTM card) to bring in Jake Fraser-McGurk, but the Australian batsman failed to impress. He scored just 55 runs at an average of 9.17 in 6 matches. With Delhi struggling to find a stable opening pair, Jake could be dropped as they look for a more consistent option. 9. Rajasthan Royals – Maheesh Theekshana With Wanindu Hasaranga already in the squad and Ravindra Jadeja reportedly joining, Theekshana may find himself in surplus demand. Despite taking 11 wickets in 11 matches at an economy of 9.76, RR are likely to favor Hasaranga’s all-round value. 10. Chennai Super Kings – Devon Conway Signed for ₹6.25 crore in 2025, Devon Conway failed to replicate his past success. He has scored 156 runs in 6 games at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 131. With concerns about his T20 scoring, CSK may release him to explore younger, more aggressive top-order options.
