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

Retention day cleared out some big names, and that means the IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi will be dominated by bowlers who can change a game in short bursts. For franchises that need wickets up front, control in the middle overs or a strike option at the death, here are five released bowlers who should attract serious interest.

1. Ravi Bishnoi

Bishnoi’s leg-spin profile (lots of googlies, tidy pace and a knack for striking through the middle overs) has made him one of India’s more reliable T20 spinners. Lucknow’s retention window saw them free up roster space by releasing Bishnoi, who nevertheless finished his IPL 2025 stint with steady returns and remains young enough to be a long-term asset. 

He offers the kind of attacking leg-spin many teams lack: wicket-first, difficult to score off when deployed over tight eight-ball spells, and a domestic track record that suggests he can adapt quickly to different surfaces. Expect several franchises to view him as an IPL-ready middle-over aggressor.

2. Wanindu Hasaranga

Hasaranga is a different class of release. A genuine wicket-taking wrist-spinner who also bats usefully, he’s been a premium T20 commodity worldwide. Rajasthan’s surprise decision to drop him into the auction pool hands teams a ready-made middle-overs striker who bowls attacking lines, manipulates flight and possesses a reliable wrong’un. 

On flat Indian tracks, he creates the only kind of consistent spin pressure that forces false shots and collapses; with the bat, he’s a handy late-order aggressor. For any side chasing both wickets and batting depth from one overseas slot, Hasaranga checks both boxes.

3. Matheesha Pathirana

Pathirana’s slingy action and genuine pace make him an automatically interesting auction name. He has delivered genuine late-over wicket threat and raw toe-to-toe pace in previous IPL seasons. 

Chennai’s decision to release him followed a season of injuries and inconsistent returns (he took 13 wickets in 12 games in 2025 but struggled with economy and fitness), which makes him a buy-low, high-upside target for teams willing to manage workload carefully. If his medicals check out, Pathirana gives buyers a potentially match-deciding quick who brings express pace and a unique angle of delivery.

4. Gerald Coetzee

Coetzee’s power seam and ability to extract bounce have been his calling card. The sort of raw front-foot aggression that franchises love to pair with experienced partners. Gujarat released him to open purse flexibility, but Coetzee remains a strike option who can bowl the new ball hard and trouble top orders with pace and bounce. For teams that want an urgent, wicket-taking new-ball threat and aren’t afraid to back young pace, Coetzee will be high on the shortlist.

5. Adam Zampa

Zampa’s value is straightforward: a leg-spinner who consistently ties down scoring and takes wickets in pressure overs. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s retention choices put Zampa back in the market, and despite recent shoulder problems reported in 2025, his skillset remains highly sellable. 

Teams that prefer a controlled, economy-oriented leg-spinner to stifle middle-overs scoring will see Zampa as a proven, lower-variance buy, provided medicals and workload management add up. His experience in IPL conditions and international T20s makes him an immediate plug-and-play option.

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