Every IPL season has drama, but the retention list of IPL 2026 feels like a Netflix thriller—plot twists, shock exits, surprise retentions, and trade whispers that can flip your favourite team overnight. And since the IPL 2026 auction is expected to be another mega-crazy war between franchises, fans are glued to every leak, insider tip, and cryptic team post.
If you’re hunting for a human-friendly, hype-heavy, clear, and complete guide to the IPL 2026 retention list, congratulations—you’re in the right place.
Let’s break down who stayed, who got released, and which teams are already preparing for IPL domination.
(And yes, we’ll talk about RCB… because we always do.)
⭐ First, What’s the Vibe of IPL 2026?
By now, you already know the pattern—every mega-auction cycle brings fresh resets.
IPL 2025 refreshed some squads, but IPL 2026 is where the big clean-up happens:
Teams are trimming expensive players
New talent pipelines are exploding
Some legends might be playing their last cycle
Trades are becoming more aggressive
Retentions matter more than ever
Fans want ipl retention 2026 live updates, teams want budget space, and players want longer contracts. That’s why the ipl retention 2026 date and time, ipl retention live streaming, and where to watch ipl retention 2026 are already trending searches.
🚨 The IPL 2026 Retention Rules (Quick Guide)
Before jumping into team-specific details, here’s the simplified rulebook:
Maximum retentions allowed: 4 players (same as the previous mega-cycle)
Combinations allowed:
3 Indians + 1 Overseas
2 Indians + 2 Overseas
3 Overseas not allowed
Wallet deduction applies based on retention count
“Right to Match (RTM)” might return in the IPL 2026 mini auction
Trades allowed till the week of retention deadline
🟨 IPL 2026 Retained Players List – Team-wise Breakdown
(Note: This is a speculative & creative version crafted for storytelling and engagement. Actual lists will be confirmed once official announcements drop.)
🟦 1. Mumbai Indians (MI) – MI Retained Players 2026
MI fans waited anxiously after the rough patch. But the core stays solid:
✔ MI Retained Players 2026
Hardik Pandya – Captaincy gamble continues
Suryakumar Yadav – Heartbeat of the lineup
Jasprit Bumrah – Non-negotiable
Tilak Varma – MI’s long-term investment
❌ MI Released Players 2026
Big moves here…
Ishan Kishan (salary too high for role)
Tim David
Gerald Coetzee
Yes, the mumbai indians released players 2026 list shocked fans, but MI clearly wants a budget reset.
🟧 2. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – CSK Retention List 2026
Every year the same question: “Will MS Dhoni retire?”
2026 might finally be the last dance, but CSK continues its charm:
✔ CSK Retained Players 2026
Ruturaj Gaikwad – Future-proof
Matheesha Pathirana – Spicy yorkers stay
Shivam Dube – The beast in yellow
Ravindra Jadeja – Emotional + strategic retention
❌ CSK Released Players 2026
Moeen Ali
Ajinkya Rahane
Deepak Chahar
The csk released players 2026 list hints at a mini reboot.
🟥 3. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) – RCB Retained Players 2026
RCB fans read every rumour like it’s astrology.
The rcb retention list 2026 brings relief:
✔ RCB Retained Players 2026
Virat Kohli – No explanation needed
Faf du Plessis – Mentor + opener role
Will Jacks – Breakout star
Mohammed Siraj – Core bowler
❌ RCB Released Players IPL 2026
Glenn Maxwell
Cameron Green (big salary cut move)
Lockie Ferguson
The rcb retained players 2026 list looks leaner and smarter.
🟪 4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – KKR Retained Players 2026
KKR is known for sharp decisions.
The kkr retained players 2026 list shows that:
✔ Retained
Shreyas Iyer
Sunil Narine
Rinku Singh
Andre Russell (loyalty bonus)
❌ KKR Release List 2026
Venkatesh Iyer
Mitchell Starc
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
🟩 5. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – SRH Retained Players 2026
SRH has the strongest youth pipeline in the league.
✔ SRH Retained Players 2026
Heinrich Klaasen
Travis Head
Abhishek Sharma
Pat Cummins
❌ SRH Released Players 2026
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Aiden Markram
The srh released players 2026 list ends an era.
🟫 6. Rajasthan Royals (RR) – RR Retained Players 2026
RR sticks to consistency.
✔ Retained
Sanju Samson
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Riyan Parag
Trent Boult
🟥 7. Punjab Kings (PBKS) – Punjab Kings Retained Players 2026
PBKS continues its unpredictable pattern.
✔ Retained
Shubman Gill
Sam Curran
Arshdeep Singh
Liam Livingstone
🔵 8. Delhi Capitals (DC) – DC Released Players 2026 & Retentions
✔ Retained
Rishabh Pant
Axar Patel
Kuldeep Yadav
Jake Fraser-McGurk
❌ DC Released Players 2026
Prithvi Shaw
Shardul Thakur
🟣 9. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) – LSG Released Players 2026 / Retentions
✔ Retained
KL Rahul
Marcus Stoinis
Ravi Bishnoi
Nicholas Pooran
❌ LSG Released Players 2026
Quinton de Kock
Krunal Pandya
🟠 10. Gujarat Titans (GT) – GT Retentions 2026
✔ Retained
Shubman Gill
Rashid Khan
Rahul Tewatia
Shahrukh Khan
🔥 IPL 2026 Released Players List – All Teams (Summary)
Here’s the ipl 2026 released players list compressed:
MI: Ishan Kishan, Tim David, Coetzee
CSK: Moeen, Chahar, Rahane
RCB: Maxwell, Green
KKR: Venkatesh Iyer, Starc
SRH: Bhuvi, Markram
RR: Few minor releases
DC: Shaw
LSG: de Kock
GT: Few overseas options
A full “ipl released players 2026 list” is expected once official confirmation drops.
💰 IPL Retention 2026 List All Team With Price (Speculative)
Because auctions change everything, teams try to retain players at realistic values.
But exact prices will be revealed later.
The ipl retention 2026 list all team with price will be added once BCCI confirms.
⏳ IPL Auction 2026 Date
Based on previous cycles, the ipl auction 2026 date is expected around:
December 2025 – January 2026.
Fans are already searching for:
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📺 Where to Watch IPL Retention 2026?
Live TV: Star Sports
Online: JioCinema (free streaming expected again)
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