IPL 2026: Schedule, Teams and Auction Updates
The IPL 2026 campaign ran from 26 March to 31 May 2026, built around one of the most dramatic retention windows in the league’s history. The mini auction in Abu Dhabi on 16 December 2025 reshaped all ten squads, with Kolkata Knight Riders entering with a record purse of ₹64.30 crore after releasing Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell, while Mumbai Indians had just ₹2.75 crore left to spend. This guide covers the auction, the full retention picture, the ten teams and the season schedule.
The auction: the headline moves
The IPL 2026 mini auction took place in Abu Dhabi on 16 December 2025. The biggest story was KKR’s ruthless clearout: the three-time champions released star all-rounder Andre Russell (₹12 crore) and Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore) — one of the highest-profile cuts in IPL history — giving them the largest purse of any team at ₹64.30 crore with 13 slots to fill. Chennai Super Kings released Matheesha Pathirana (₹13 crore) but pulled off the window’s smartest trade, bringing in Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals while sending Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran the other way. Lucknow Super Giants released Ravi Bishnoi (₹11 crore), and Delhi Capitals cut Jake Fraser-McGurk (₹9 crore) loose.
Team-by-team retentions and purses
Each franchise’s position heading into the auction told its own story. Mumbai Indians retained 20 players — including Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav and Trent Boult — leaving only ₹2.75 crore in the purse. Gujarat Titans kept 20 (Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Kagiso Rabada) with ₹12.90 crore left. Chennai Super Kings retained 16 with ₹43.40 crore to spend, built around Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni, Shivam Dube and new arrival Sanju Samson. Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained 17 — Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (captain), Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood — with ₹16.40 crore remaining, while releasing Liam Livingstone. Punjab Kings kept 21 players with ₹11.50 crore left, and Rajasthan Royals retained 16 with ₹16.05 crore.
The ten teams
IPL 2026 featured the league’s ten franchises: Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans. Sunrisers Hyderabad headed into the auction with ₹25.50 crore and made one of the window’s shrewdest buys, signing England’s Liam Livingstone for around £1 million. Delhi Capitals added Ben Duckett for approximately £241,000, while Gujarat Titans picked up Tom Banton and Luke Wood. Among the retained England contingent were Jos Buttler (Gujarat), Will Jacks (Mumbai), Jofra Archer and Sam Curran (Rajasthan), Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell (Bengaluru) and Brydon Carse (Hyderabad).
IPL 2026 schedule
The IPL 2026 season ran from 26 March to 31 May 2026 across India’s major venues, following the auction in December 2025. The league stage featured 70 matches before the playoffs and the final. Pakistani fans followed the tournament closely despite no Pakistani players featuring — a long-standing feature of the league — with particular interest in how the auction’s biggest gambles, from KKR’s full rebuild to CSK’s Samson trade, played out over the season.
What the auction taught us
The 2026 auction confirmed the league’s ruthless economics: even franchise legends like Andre Russell are expendable when the purse math demands it, while smart trades — CSK’s Samson-for-Jadeja swap chief among them — can reshape a squad without spending a rupee at the table. For Pakistan’s T20 league, the contrast was instructive: the PSL had adopted its own auction model from 2026, making the two leagues’ recruitment philosophies more alike than ever. Read our PSL 2027 guide for how Pakistan’s league is evolving, and our T20 World Cup 2026 guide for the year’s biggest international tournament.
External references: the ECB detailed where England’s players landed at the IPL 2026 auction, and CricTracker published the full team-wise retention and release lists.
Frequently asked questions
When was the auction?
The mini auction was held in Abu Dhabi on 16 December 2025.
Which team had the biggest purse?
Kolkata Knight Riders, with ₹64.30 crore after releasing Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell.
When did the season run?
It ran from 26 March to 31 May 2026.
Which teams took part?
Ten teams: MI, CSK, RCB, KKR, DC, PBKS, RR, SRH, LSG and Gujarat Titans.
Did Sanju Samson change teams before IPL 2026?
Yes — Sanju Samson moved from Rajasthan Royals to Chennai Super Kings in a trade, with Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran going the other way.
IPL 2026: Fan Essentials
IPL 2026 promises another blockbuster season of the world’s richest T20 league. The ipl 2026 schedule will list around 70-plus matches across Indian venues, with the ipl 2026 teams fielding squads rebuilt at auction. Pakistani fans follow the ipl 2026 auction date closely even though Pakistani players do not participate, since the ipl mega auction 2026 players list shapes the balance of every franchise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I watch IPL 2026 in Pakistan? Streaming and broadcast arrangements are announced before the season. Official platforms are the reliable option.
When does the IPL 2026 season start? Typically March to May. Confirm exact dates in the official schedule release.
Do Pakistani players play in the IPL? No, Pakistani cricketers have not participated since the inaugural edition’s aftermath.
More IPL 2026 Insights
IPL 2026 squads take shape at the auction, where franchises balance star power with squad depth. The ipl 2026 schedule release lets fans plan around marquee clashes and double-headers. With ten ipl 2026 teams competing, the playoff race stays alive deep into the season.
The ipl 2026 auction date is a television event in itself, with bidding wars making headlines. Tracking the ipl mega auction 2026 players list reveals each team’s strategy: some chase marquee all-rounders while others stock domestic talent.
More FAQs
How many overseas players per team? Four in the playing eleven, with squad limits set by the IPL governing council.
What is the purse for each team? The salary cap is announced before each auction cycle.
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