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

Retention day cleared the decks, and a clutch of proven white-ball batters are now free agents for the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Teams hunting experienced finishers, reliable openers or middle-order stabilisers will have plenty of targets. Here are five released players who should attract serious interest in Abu Dhabi, and why each could land quickly. All five were part of the released players' lists and will be available at the auction.

1. Josh Inglis

Inglis arrived in the IPL as a dynamic wicketkeeper-batter who can bat anywhere in the top six and change momentum with brutal boundary hitting. His strike power in franchise and international T20s made him a useful mid-order option for Punjab Kings in 2025, and his auction price last year (around ₹2.6 crore) showed clear market appetite. 

For franchises short on dependable overseas keepers who also accelerate, Inglis is a tidy buy. He offers high strike-rate batting, safe keeping and the sort of finishing instincts that win late overs. Expect multiple teams with overseas slots to show interest.

2. Quinton de Kock

De Kock remains one of T20’s most accomplished left-handed openers and a reliable wicketkeeper. KKR’s retention reshuffle left him on the released list despite a string of impactful starts in 2025. His career numbers in the IPL and international white-ball cricket show why teams prize him as an immediate top-order upgrade. 

Any side that wants a fast, prolific powerplay scorer who can also double as a first-choice keeper will view de Kock as a plug-and-play option, and he’s likely to spark a bidding battle among teams desperate for top-end consistency.

3. David Miller

Miller’s value is simple: measured power, exceptional strike rotation and the ability to close tight chases. Despite an underwhelming 2025 at times, LSG released Miller and he’s now marketable again as a high-quality middle-order finisher who steadies innings before detonating. 

His veteran savvy in pacing an IPL chase and clearing long boundaries makes him attractive to sides that need a heartbeat in tense finishes, particularly teams that want a left-handed balance in the death overs. Expect Miller to be snapped up by a side chasing experienced finishers.

4. Rachin Ravindra

Rachin’s release by CSK was among the more surprising moves. He’s a left-handed bat who combines classical timing with inventive T20 shots, plus useful slow-left-arm spin. Ravindra has shown the temperament to build innings and the ability to accelerate. 

Add his part-time bowling, and he becomes a tempting middle-order all-rounder fit for teams seeking an extra spin option who also stabilise the batting. Several outlets already name him as a potential auction trigger and expect teams to chase him for both skill and youth.

5. Venkatesh Iyer

Iyer’s release is the big financial story: bought for huge sums earlier, he failed to justify that price in 2025, and KKR chose to free a big purse by letting him go. That doesn’t erase his skill set as a left-hand power, ability to bowl seam-overs and the experience of starring in crunch matches, but it does reset market expectations. 

For buyers, Iyer is a buy-low, high-upside gamble. If a franchise can rebuild his confidence and give him a clear role, his combination of power and handy bowling could pay dividends at a far lower price tag than before.

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