The IPL 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the most eventful yet, with high-profile trades, smart budget moves, and several surprising releases across all franchises. Here’s a detailed look at how each team has reshaped its squad ahead of the new season by letting go of several key players. Here is a complete list of the IPL 2026 released players along with the trade out and trade in players.
IPL 2026 Released Players
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Sunrisers Hyderabad released a mix of domestic players and overseas names ahead of IPL 2026.
Released Players: Abhinav Manohar, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Wiaan Mulder, Simarjeet Singh, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa.
The franchise also completed a notable trade, sending Mohammad Shami to Lucknow Super Giants.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Purse: ₹16.4 crore | Slots: 8
RCB cleared space in their squad by releasing several experienced and emerging players.
Released Players: Swastik Chikara, Mayank Agarwal, Tim Seifert, Liam Livingstone, Manoj Bhandage, Lungi Ngidi, Blessing Muzarabani, Mohit Rathee.
These releases indicate a shift towards rebuilding their middle order and bowling options.
Gujarat Titans (GT)
Gujarat Titans released multiple all-rounders and pacers during the retention window.
Released Players: Dasun Shanaka, Mahipal Lomror, Karim Janat, Gerald Coetzee, Kulwant Khejroliya.
They also traded Sherfane Rutherford to Mumbai Indians in a cash deal.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Punjab Kings opted for a bold reset by releasing notable names across categories.
Released Players: Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Kuldeep Sen, Pravin Dubey.
Delhi Capitals (DC)
Delhi Capitals released several players to free up budget and balance their squad.
Released Players: Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sediqullah Atal, Manvanth Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Darshan Nalkande.
They also traded Donovan Ferreira to Rajasthan Royals for ₹1 crore.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
LSG let go of both senior and developing players as part of their reshuffle.
Released Players: Aryan Juyal, David Miller, Yuvraj Choudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Akash Deep, Ravi Bishnoi, Shamar Joseph.
Trade Out: Shardul Thakur → Mumbai Indians
Trade In: Mohammad Shami ← SRH
The Shami trade significantly strengthens their pace attack while clearing salary space.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Purse: ₹43.4 cr
CSK made widespread changes by releasing a large group of players across all departments.
Released Players: Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddharth, Rachin Ravindra, Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Matheesha Pathirana.
Legendary all-rounder R. Ashwin retired, marking an emotional moment for Indian cricket.
In the biggest trade of the window, Ravindra Jadeja (₹14 crore) and Sam Curran (₹2.4 crore) were traded to Rajasthan Royals for Sanju Samson (₹18 crore).
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Purse: ₹64.3 crore | Slots: 13
KKR released several major overseas names and domestic regulars.
Released Players: Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Luvnith Sisodia, Chetan Sakariya, Spencer Johnson.
They also traded Mayank Markande to Mumbai Indians in a cash exchange.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Purse: ₹16.05 crore | Slots: 9
Rajasthan Royals released numerous bowlers and all-rounders.
Released Players: Kunal Singh Rathore, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Ashok Sharma.
Trade Out: Nitish Rana → Delhi Capitals
Trade Ins:
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Sam Curran
- Donovan Ferreira
With these moves, RR now possess one of the strongest all-round units in the league.
Mumbai Indians (MI)
Purse: ₹2.75 crore | Slots: 5 (1 overseas)
Mumbai Indians released a long list of players across roles, opening up multiple squad slots.
Released Players: Satyanarayana Raju, Reece Topley, KL Shrijit, Karn Sharma, Bevon Jacobs, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Lizaad Williams, Vignesh Puthur.
Trade Out: Arjun Tendulkar → LSG
Trade Ins:
- Sherfane Rutherford (from GT)
- Shardul Thakur (from LSG)
- Mayank Markande (from KKR)
These moves help MI inject fresh energy into both their middle order and bowling department.
