MUMBAI: The anticipation for the IPL 2026 season is at an all-time high, with broadcasters confirming that the retention list for all ten franchises will be officially revealed on November 15. Fans across India are eagerly waiting to see which players will be retained, released, or traded ahead of the mega IPL 2026 auction.
According to reports, the IPL 2026 auction is likely to take place in December, giving franchises ample time to strategize and reshape their squads. Interestingly, the BCCI has introduced a major tweak this season — there will be no cap on the number of players a team can retain. This unprecedented rule change could drastically reshape the competitive balance of the league.
Samson–Jadeja Trade Talks Take Center Stage
In one of the biggest potential moves of the season, sources indicate that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are closing in on a blockbuster trade with Rajasthan Royals (RR) to acquire Sanju Samson.
If the trade goes through, Samson could don the famous yellow jersey for the first time. However, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Samson is unlikely to lead CSK immediately.
“I don’t think Sanju Samson will get captaincy because this is his first season with CSK. Ruturaj will continue, but Samson can be a future captain option,” Ashwin said on his YouTube show.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that CSK’s request to trade Washington Sundar with Gujarat Titans has been rejected.
Major Trade Rumours and Team Updates
KKR are reportedly pursuing KL Rahul from Delhi Capitals (DC) in a surprise move.
KKR may part ways with vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer, who struggled to justify his ₹23.75 crore price tag.
Rajasthan Royals are preparing for life after Samson, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel emerging as potential captaincy contenders.
Probable Players to Be Released Before IPL 2026 Auction
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Sachin Baby
Adam Zampa
Mohammed Shami
Rahul Chahar
Wiaan Mulder
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
Liam Livingstone
Abhinandan Singh
Mohit Rathee
Mumbai Indians (MI)
Deepak Chahar
Shrijith Krishnan
Lizaad Williams
Mujeeb ur Rahman
Reece Topley
Raghu Sharma
Satyanarayana Raju
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Harnoor Pannu
Vishnu Vinod
Aaron Hardie
Glenn Maxwell
Xavier Bartlett
Kyle Jamieson
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
Aryan Juyal
Matthew Breetzke
Yuvraj Choudhary
Shamar Joseph
M. Siddharth
Mayank Yadav
Mohsin Khan
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Manish Pandey
Rovman Powell
Venkatesh Iyer
Luvnith Sisodia
Chetan Sakariya
Shivam Shukla
Spencer Johnson
Delhi Capitals (DC)
Karun Nair
Ajay Mandal
Darshan Nalkande
Madhav Tiwari
Manvanth Kumar
Sediqullah Atal
Tripurana Vijay
Dushmantha Chameera
Mohit Sharma
Punjab Kings (Second List)
Kumar Khushagra
Dasun Shanaka
Glenn Phillips
Jayant Yadav
Karim Janat
Gurnoor Brar
Ishant Sharma
No Cap on Retentions for IPL 2026
For the first time in IPL history, franchises have no restriction on the number of players they can retain or release — including capped Indian, overseas, and uncapped players. This could result in drastically different squad compositions heading into the auction.
What’s Next
With blockbuster trades on the horizon and franchises preparing for the mega auction, the next few weeks promise high drama and surprises in the build-up to IPL 2026. All eyes now turn to November 15, when the official retention lists are unveiled.
