IPL 2026 Each Team Full Retained Players List Before Mini Auction
From MS Dhoni to Virat Kohli, find out the full exclusive IPL 2026 retained players list for each team ahead of the Mini Auction.
The IPL 2026 season is off to a rocking start with all 10 franchises officially revealing their retained and released players list ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. This year’s pre-auction buzz has revolved around two major developments. First, for the first time in IPL history, teams executed as many as 10 player trades before the auction – the highest ever in any season, signalling a bold shift in franchise strategies. Second, teams appeared far more ruthless and forward-looking, placing performance, future value, and squad balance above emotions or loyalty.
This resulted in several unexpected releases as franchises focused on building squads that can deliver over the next few IPL cycles. The Pre-Auction drama for IPL 2026 also delivered some of the most intriguing moves in recent years, highlighted by blockbuster trades such as Sanju Samson to CSK, Ravindra Jadeja to RR, Mohammed Shami to LSG, and Shardul Thakur to MI. These trades signalled a major shift in how franchises are approaching team building for the upcoming cycles.
On the released players front, several big names were shown the exit door, including Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer from KKR, Liam Livingstone from RCB, and Glenn Maxwell from PBKS. What stood out this season was the willingness of teams to let go of long-serving, loyal players in favour of reshaping their squads for better balance, future potential, and auction flexibility. But, with so many big names getting released and retained, let’s look at the full IPL 2026 retained players list for each team ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Mini Auction.
IPL 2026 Each Team Full Retained Players List Before Mini Auction
IPL 2026 Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis (os), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c)
Wks: MS Dhoni, Sanju Samson, Urvil Patel
All-rounders: Jamie Overton (os), Shivam Dube
Bowlers: Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis (os), Noor Ahmad (os), Ramkrishna Ghosh & Shreyas Gopal
Total Players Retained: 16 // Purse Available: 43.4 Cr
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have retained 16 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. CSK created major headlines before the auction by pulling off a blockbuster trade for Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals while parting ways with two big names – Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. The franchise also released several notable players, including Matheesha Pathirana, Rachin Ravindra, and Devon Conway, all of whom are expected to attract strong bidding at the IPL 2026 Auction.
Despite the exits, Chennai Super Kings have retained their core strength with Ruturaj Gaikwad continuing as captain, supported by stalwarts like MS Dhoni, promising spinner Noor Ahmad, power-hitter Shivam Dube, young talent Ayush Mhatre, and South African star Dewald Brevis. CSK’s retention strategy clearly indicates a focus on rebuilding with youth while maintaining experienced match-winners for IPL 2026.
IPL 2026 Delhi Capitals (DC) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Ashutosh Sharma, Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi
Wicket-keepers (Wks): Abhishek Porel, KL Rahul, Tristan Stubbs (os)
All-rounders: Ajay Mandal, Axar Patel (c), Madhav Tiwari, Vipraj Nigam
Bowlers: Dusmantha Chameera (os), Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc (os), Mukesh Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, T Natarajan
Total Players Retained: 17 // Purse Available: 21.8 Cr
The Delhi Capitals (DC) have retained a total of 17 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. The franchise has made several strategic decisions to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season. DC have retained a strong core consisting of KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel, Mukesh Kumar, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Ashutosh Sharma, and young talent Vipraj Nigam.
In addition to these key names, Delhi Capitals have also held on to several interesting picks such as Sameer Rizvi, Karun Nair, Dusmantha Chameera, and Tripurana Vijay, indicating a clear focus on blending experience with emerging talent. With this balanced retention strategy, DC look well-prepared to build a competitive squad at the IPL 2026 Auction.
IPL 2026 Gujarat Titans (GT) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Shubman Gill (c)
Wicket-keepers (Wks): Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler (os), Kumar Khushagra
All-rounders: Arshad Khan, Glenn Phillips (os), Jayant Yadav, Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar
Bowlers: Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada (os), Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, R Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan (os)
Total Players Retained: 20 // Purse Available: 12.9 Cr
The Gujarat Titans (GT) have retained an impressive 20 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction, making them one of the most stable squads going into the new season. GT have held on to the majority of their core group, led by Shubman Gill, along with key performers like Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Rashid Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, R Sai Kishore, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, and Mohammed Siraj.
The franchise has also shown strong faith in several impactful names such as Glenn Phillips, Ishan Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Nishant Sindhu, and Arshad Khan, reinforcing their depth across batting, bowling, and all-round options. With such a well-rounded retention list, the Gujarat Titans look well-positioned for IPL 2026, combining star power with young talent as they prepare for the upcoming auction.
IPL 2026 Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell (os)
Wicket-keepers (Wks): Angkrish Raghuvanshi
All-rounders: Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine (os)
Bowlers: Harshit Rana, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy
Total Players Retained: 12 // Purse Available: 64.3 Cr
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have retained just 12 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction – making it the lowest retention count among all teams this season. This clearly signals that KKR are aiming for a major squad overhaul for IPL 2026. Among the key retentions, KKR have kept faith in Captain Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Umran Malik, ensuring that their core structure remains intact.
However, the franchise also made two significant releases – the unexpected exit of Andre Russell and the more predictable departure of Venkatesh Iyer. With these changes, Kolkata Knight Riders enter the IPL 2026 Auction with a massive purse of ₹64.3 crore, giving them strong bargaining power as they look to rebuild a competitive and balanced squad for the new season.
IPL 2026 Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram (os), Ayush Badoni, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke (os)
Wicket-keepers (Wks): Nicholas Pooran (os), Rishabh Pant (c)
All-rounders: Arshin Kulkarni, Mitchell Marsh (os), Shahbaz Ahmed
Bowlers: Akash Singh, Arjun Tendulkar, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, Mayank Yadav, M Siddharth, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav
Total Players Retained: 19 // Purse Available: 22.95 Cr
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have retained 19 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. Staying true to their identity, LSG have once again backed their strong pool of Indian bowlers, retaining as many as nine Indian bowling options. This clearly indicates that the franchise may continue with its proven strategy of fielding overseas batters and Indian bowlers heading into IPL 2026.
Among the major overseas retentions, LSG have held on to Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, and Matthew Breetzke, giving the team a solid set of experienced international batters. With a balanced mix of domestic depth and overseas firepower, Lucknow Super Giants appear well-prepared to fine-tune their squad at the upcoming auction.
IPL 2026 Mumbai Indians (MI) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Rohit Sharma, Sherfane Rutherford (os), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma
Wicket-keepers (Wks): Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton (os)
All-rounders: Corbin Bosch (os), Hardik Pandya (c), Mitchell Santner (os), Naman Dhir, Raj Bawa, Will Jacks (os)
Bowlers: Allah Ghazanfar (os), Ashwani Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande, Raghu Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult (os)
Total Players Retained: 20 // Purse Available: 2.75 Cr
The Mumbai Indians (MI) have retained 20 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. Alongside CSK, the Mumbai Indians were among the most active teams in the trade window, securing three impactful additions – Shardul Thakur, Mayank Markande, and Sherfane Rutherford. In addition to these trades, MI have retained all their major stars, including Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, and Tilak Varma, ensuring a strong and experienced core remains intact for IPL 2026.
With seven overseas players already locked in, the Mumbai Indians will only need to add one more overseas option during the auction. However, the Mumbai Indians will enter the IPL 2026 Auction with the smallest purse of just ₹2.75 crore, which means they must make highly strategic decisions in the limited slots they need to fill.
IPL 2026 Punjab Kings (PBKS) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Harnoor Pannu, Mitchell Owen (os), Musheer Khan, Nehal Wadhera, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Iyer (c)
Wicket-keepers (Wks): Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod
All-rounders: Azmatullah Omarzai (os), Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen (os), Marcus Stoinis (os), Suryansh Shedge
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson (os), Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Xavier Bartlett (os)
Total Players Retained: 21 // Purse Available: 11.5 Cr
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) have retained a massive 21 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction – the highest retention count among all teams this season. Punjab appear fully aligned with their squad strategy for IPL 2026, keeping a strong mix of established stars and rising talents. PBKS have retained key names such as Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, and others who form the backbone of the team.
Alongside them, the franchise has also backed promising youngsters like Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, and more – signalling a long-term investment in youth. However, PBKS did release two major players: Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis. Inglis was let go primarily due to availability concerns, despite performing well enough last season to merit retention. With a stable core and fresh flexibility heading into the auction, Punjab Kings look well-prepared for IPL 2026.
IPL 2026 Rajasthan Royals (RR) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Lhuan Dre-Pretorius (os), Shimron Hetmyer (os), Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal
Wicket-keepers (Wks): Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira (os)
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Riyan Parag, Sam Curran (os)
Bowlers: Jofra Archer (os), Kwena Maphaka (os), Nandre Burger (os), Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Yudhvir Charak
Total Players Retained: 16 // Purse Available: 16.05 Cr
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) have retained 16 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. RR made one of the biggest trades of the season, parting ways with long-time captain Sanju Samson while bringing in two high-impact all-rounders – Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja. The franchise also traded out Nitish Rana and brought in the explosive Donovan Ferreira, further strengthening their middle-order firepower.
RR now boast a strong Indian core featuring Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, and Tushar Deshpande, giving the squad solid depth across departments. Among overseas stars, RR have retained key match-winners such as Jofra Archer, Shimron Hetmyer, and Lhuan Dre-Pretorius, ensuring a balanced blend of pace, power, and all-round ability. With impactful trades and a stable retention group, Rajasthan Royals look well-positioned for IPL 2026, entering the mini auction with both clarity and confidence.
IPL 2026 Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Tim David (os), Virat Kohli
Wicket-keepers (Wks): Jitesh Sharma, Phil Salt (os)
All-rounders: Jacob Bethell (os), Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd (os), Swapnil Singh
Bowlers: Abhinandan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood (os), Nuwan Thushara (os), Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Yash Dayal
Total Players Retained: 17 // Purse Available: 16.4 Cr
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have retained 17 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction, including six overseas players. RCB have backed the majority of their core group, and their retention choices appear well-aligned with their long-term strategy for IPL 2026. Among the biggest retained names are Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Devdutt Padikkal, Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, giving RCB a solid foundation with both experience and youthful energy.
The franchise decided to release Liam Livingstone, primarily due to his dip in form and inconsistency last season. However, RCB still possess strong overseas depth with players like Jacob Bethell, Nuwan Thushara, and Romario Shepherd, who offer valuable backup options across batting, bowling, and all-round roles. With a balanced retention list and clear direction, RCB enter the IPL 2026 Auction well-equipped to finalise a competitive squad.
IPL 2026 Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Full Retained Players List
Batters: Aniket Verma, Smaran Ravichandran, Travis Head (os)
Wicket-keepers (Wks): Heinrich Klaasen (os), Ishan Kishan
All-rounders: Abhishek Sharma, Brydon Carse (os), Harsh Dubey, Kamindu Mendis (os), Nitish Reddy
Bowlers: Ehsan Malinga (os), Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Pat Cummins (os & c), Zeeshan Ansari
Total Players Retained: 15 // Purse Available: 25.5 Cr
The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have retained 15 players ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction, including six overseas players. While the retention count is on the lower side, SRH have ensured that their core squad remains intact for the upcoming season. The biggest surprise was the release of Mohammed Shami, with the franchise feeling he has not fully regained his rhythm and pace following injury.
Apart from this major exit, SRH have retained a strong group of players such as Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Ishan Kishan, Harshal Patel, Aniket Verma, and Nitish Reddy, giving them a well-balanced mix of power-hitters, all-rounders, and quality bowlers. With a stable core and room to strengthen key areas, SRH head into the IPL 2026 Auction with a clear strategy and competitive foundation.
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