Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders released the largest number of players on the retention deadline day on Saturday, 15 November. The former champions parted ways with several big names and are heading into the mini-auction with a sizeable purse. All 10 teams announced their lists of released and retained players, bringing an end to weeks of speculation.
After the Indian Premier League confirmed eight trades, the official broadcaster revealed the full retention lists. Kolkata Knight Riders raised eyebrows by releasing Andre Russell, one of their most influential match-winners. KKR retained Ajinkya Rahane, who is likely to continue leading the side should they fail to secure a marquee player at the mini-auction.
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IPL 2026 retention highlights
Chennai Super Kings, meanwhile, released Matheesha Pathirana, their match-winning fast bowler who had earned the trust of MS Dhoni.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, five-time champions Mumbai Indians and last year’s finalists Punjab Kings did not release many players, signalling their confidence in the strength of their core squads.
In what is arguably a first for the franchise, Punjab Kings opted against a major reshuffle and instead prioritised continuity
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