The IPL 2026 mini-auction is expected to take place between December 13 and 15, 2025, with the venue likely to be overseas again, with Abu Dhabi, UAE, as the leading candidate and Oman and Qatar also under consideration.
The retention deadline for teams to finalize their retained and released players is approximately November 15, 2025, as the ten teams sort out their players ahead of the upcoming season.
Teams can retain as many players they want, adhering to no limits on capped Indian players, overseas players, and uncapped players. The auction will see teams focusing on surgical team building rather than complete rebuilds, targeting key roles.
The pre-auction trade window is currently open and ends in early December, while a post-auction trade window will also be available for fine-tuning squads before the IPL 2026 season. Amid this, there can be a few names who will be released by the franchises, who were retained previously ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
A total of 46 players were retained by the 10 teams ahead of the mega auction. Although the majority of these players are set to continue with the same team, few may find a new team in the trade window, while some may have find themselves in the auction table.
IPL 2026 Auction: Retained Players in 2025 who may be Released
In this article, we shall take a look at 7 players who may have to seek pastures new as they may be discarded from the core, at least till the auction.
Shahrukh Khan (Gujarat Titans)
Gujarat Titans retained Shahrukh Khan for Rs 4 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, but the Tamil Nadu player failed to make telling impact for them. He only scored 179 runs for them last season and was not a consistent scorer for them. Ahead of the mini auction, the Titans may leave him to secure better replacements.
Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders)
One of the legends of Kolkata Knight Riders, Andre Russell, has been a warhorse for years now. With more than a decade of his journey with KKR, the IPL 2025 was a depleted one for him. Dre Russ has cost KKR a huge amount as they spent Rs 12 crore for him, and will be tempted to offload the veteran ahead of the auction.
Mayank Yadav (Lucknow Super Giants)
Young pace sensation Mayank Yadav was tipped to be the next big thing for India, and he promised a lot in his limited appearances. But injury has taken a toll as Mayank has seen his game time limited for recurring back issues. The pace star was roped in for Rs 11 crore, and LSG may not take the same risk again this time.
Mohsin Khan (Lucknow Super Giants)
Mohsin Khan was a massive pick for Lucknow Super Giants as they paid Rs 4 crore to acquire his services before the auction. But the left-arm pacer had another injury issue and was unable to play a single game for LSG last season. His last appearance in domestic cricket was also back in 2024, and the uncertainty on fitness may tempt the franchise to release the player.
Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals)
Sanju Samson is set to leave Rajasthan Royals as the India star is likely to join one of the few franchises interested in him. Samson is expected to be part of a trade deal as Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders remain in the race. The Kerala player joined RR in 2013 and has since been a key member of the franchise, leading them to the IPL final in 2022.
Shimron Hetmyer (Rajasthan Royals)
West Indies batter Shimron Hetmyer was retained for Rs 11 crore by Rajasthan Royals, but the swashbuckler may be left out by the franchise this time. The southpaw just managed 239 runs last season at an average of just over 21, yielding just one fifty in the entire season. Ahead of the new season, RR is likely to release him and seek for better investments.
Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Heinrich Klaasen has been a force for Sunrisers Hyderabad. The South African’s brute power with the bat has been a key component for SRH in recent IPL seasons, but reports suggest that Klaasen may be on his way out. SRH are reportedly looking to free up Rs 23 crore, which they paid for Klaasen during retention. They are likely to come back for him and snap him up in the auction at a cheaper price.