IPL 2026 Retained & Released Players: Full Lists, Trades, and Auction Purse Breakdown
By IPL Buzz Team | Updated: November 15, 2025, 06:57 PM IST
The IPL 2026 Shake-Up: Retentions, Releases, and Blockbuster Trades
The IPL 2026 retention deadline has come and gone, and what a whirlwind it was! On November 15, 2025, all 10 franchises unveiled their retained core, released stars, and jaw-dropping trades that have fans buzzing. From Sanju Samson’s historic move to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to Ravindra Jadeja’s return to Rajasthan Royals (RR), the day was full of surprises. With the mega auction set for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, teams are reshaping squads for a fresh season. Let’s break down the key moves, full lists, and what’s left in the purse for bidding wars.
The deadline saw 10 major trades, including Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Kings (LSG) and Shardul Thakur to Mumbai Indians (MI). CSK let go of Matheesha Pathirana amid fitness concerns, while Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer. Punjab Kings (PBKS) bid farewell to Glenn Maxwell, and more. The focus? Building balanced teams with youth and experience. Here’s everything you need to know as of 6:57 PM IST.
Top Blockbuster Trades of the Day
- Sanju Samson: RR to CSK for Rs 18 crore (CSK’s biggest trade ever)
- Ravindra Jadeja: CSK to RR for Rs 14 crore
- Sam Curran: CSK to RR for Rs 2.4 crore
- Mohammed Shami: SRH to LSG for Rs 10 crore
- Shardul Thakur: LSG to MI for Rs 2 crore
Team-by-Team Retained & Released Players
Here’s the full scoop on who stayed and who got the boot. We’ve highlighted key releases and retentions for each franchise.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
CSK shook things up with the Samson trade, releasing Pathirana (fitness woes), Conway, Ravindra, and more. Retained core: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja (traded out but key past), MS Dhoni, and Shivam Dube. Purse left: Rs 43.40 crore. Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni, Shivam Dube | Matheesha Pathirana, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar |
Mumbai Indians (MI)
MI kept their champions: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma. Added Shardul Thakur and Sherfane Rutherford. Purse: Rs 2.75 crore (tight!). Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Tilak Varma | Traded in Shardul Thakur, Sherfane Rutherford; Released Tim David, Dewald Brevis |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
RCB retained Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, and Rajat Patidar. Released Tim Seifert, Liam Livingstone, and Lungi Ngidi. Purse: Rs 16.40 crore. Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar | Tim Seifert, Liam Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi |
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
KKR released big names like Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, and Quinton de Kock. Retained Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rinku Singh, and Harshit Rana. Purse: Rs 64.30 crore (auction kings!). Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana | Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Moeen Ali, Anrich Nortje |
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
SRH retained Heinrich Klaasen as their top buy. Released Adam Zampa, Rahul Chahar, and Wiaan Mulder. Purse: Rs 25.50 crore. Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| Heinrich Klaasen, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head | Adam Zampa, Rahul Chahar, Wiaan Mulder |
Gujarat Titans (GT)
GT kept Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, and Sai Sudharsan. Released Gerald Coetzee, Dasun Shanaka, and Mahipal Lomror. Traded Sherfane Rutherford to MI. Purse: Rs 12.90 crore. Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Sai Sudharsan | Gerald Coetzee, Dasun Shanaka, Mahipal Lomror |
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
RR brought back Jadeja and added Sam Curran and Sanju Samson in trades. Retained Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel. Purse: Rs 16.05 crore. Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel | Traded in Jadeja (Rs 14 cr), Curran (Rs 2.4 cr), Samson (out to CSK); Released Jos Buttler |
Delhi Capitals (DC)
DC retained Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel. Released Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk. Traded Nitish Rana in. Purse: Rs 21.80 crore. Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav | Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk; Traded in Nitish Rana |
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
LSG released Ravi Bishnoi and David Miller. Traded in Shami and Arjun Tendulkar. Retained KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran. Purse: Rs 22.95 crore. Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran | Ravi Bishnoi, David Miller, Shardul Thakur (to MI); Traded in Shami |
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
PBKS released Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis. Retained Arshdeep Singh and Shashank Singh. Purse: Rs 11.50 crore. Slots: 13 (6 overseas).
| Retained | Released/Key Trades |
|---|---|
| Arshdeep Singh, Shashank Singh | Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Kuldeep Sen |
Auction Purse Breakdown: Who Has the War Chest?
With the auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, purse sizes vary wildly:
- KKR: Rs 64.30 crore (biggest splashers)
- CSK: Rs 43.40 crore
- MI: Rs 2.75 crore (tight budget!)
- LSG: Rs 22.95 crore
- RCB: Rs 16.40 crore
Surprises and Talking Points
The day had shocks: CSK releasing Pathirana (fitness doubts), KKR ditching Russell and Iyer, PBKS letting Maxwell go. Trades like Samson to CSK (Rs 18 cr) and Jadeja to RR (Rs 14 cr) made history. RR’s Shane Warne anecdote for Jadeja added nostalgia. CSK’s CEO called Jadeja’s trade “toughest decision,” while RR welcomed him home.
What’s Next? The Auction Awaits
With 13 slots per team (6 overseas), the Abu Dhabi auction will be fireworks. Who grabs Bishnoi or Maxwell? KKR’s Rs 64 cr could snag stars, while MI scrambles with Rs 2.75 cr. Stay tuned—IPL 2026 is shaping up to be epic!
Thoughts on the trades? Comment below!
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