IPL 2026: 5 Released all-rounders who might find a new team in mini-auction

Retention day cleared the decks and handed the IPL 2026 mini-auction a ready-made drama: several high-quality all-rounders are now free agents. Franchises hunting for match-winners, players who can win games with bat or ball in short bursts, will have plenty of tempting options. Here are five released all-rounders who look likely to attract heavy interest in Abu Dhabi, and why each could be a smart buy.

1. Cameron Green

Green is the premium prize on many wish-lists. He’s no longer just a batter who can bowl, but a genuine multi-format match-winner who combines size, timing and an increasingly reliable seam option. Green can open or bat in the top four, play long innings and still flex into a brutal finisher when required. 

His height and power make him a boundary-clearing threat, while his pace bowling gives captains a genuine extra seamer option, which is valuable in subcontinental conditions that reward variation. Multiple outlets list him among the players likely to be in the auction pool, which will spark bidding from teams with spare overseas slots and big purses.

2. Andre Russell

Russell’s name still means instant game-flip. He’s the archetypal high-variance finisher. One over from him can change a chase or blast a middling total into a defendable one. Even if consistency has faded with age, Russell’s ceiling — the number of times he can win you a match with a 30-run over is unmatched. 

KKR’s shock decision to release him puts that ceiling back on the market. He’ll attract splurges from teams who want a late-over match-winner without worrying about bowling volume. Buyers must weigh workload and fitness, but the upside is obvious.

3. Wanindu Hasaranga 

Hasaranga is a bowling-first all-rounder who also bats aggressively down the order. His leg-spin is designed to take wickets in the middle overs: attacking flight, a reliable wrong’un and the ability to extract mistakes from batters who try to accelerate. 

Even if his 2025 returns dipped from peak levels, his overall T20 track record, including seasons where he finished among the top wicket-takers, makes him an immediate plug-and-play option for any side that wants a spin strike-bowler who can also add 15–25 useful runs. Teams in spin-friendly venues will value him highly.

4. Glenn Maxwell

Maxwell is the ultimate tactical floater. He can bat anywhere from 3–7, hit over the ring like few others, and bowl occasional off-spin. His 2025 campaign was disrupted by injury and poor returns, but his shot range, the ability to improvise, find gaps and accelerate instantly keep him in demand. 

Maxwell is a high-variance buy: when fit and in rhythm, he changes the momentum of games. When not, he becomes a luxury slot. Franchises that want a creative middle-overs accelerator and don’t mind the injury risk will pay up.

5. Michael Bracewell

Bracewell is the pick for teams that prefer reliability over spectacle. He offers left-hand batting, tidy off-spin and sharp fielding. He is the kind of player who rarely steals headlines but consistently fills tactical holes of rotating strike, bats through the 12–18th overs, bowls tight 2–4 overs. 

He’s also auction-friendly. He can be a cost-efficient way to add balance without burning an overseas slot on a pure specialist. For franchises looking to build depth and seeking a dependable, multi-role squad member, Bracewell is a pragmatic target.

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