Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, all teams have released their retention lists, and this time, several major and unexpected decisions have left fans stunned. The most talked-about among them is Kolkata Knight Riders’ retention strategy, which has released multiple star players, signalling a major overhaul—especially those players who were central to the team’s success in recent years.
The biggest name is Venkatesh Iyer—whom KKR had bought back for ₹23.75 crore using the Right-to-Match card in the IPL 2025 mega auction. But this time, the all-rounder has been excluded from the retention list. The release of superstar Andre Russell has also shocked fans.
Chennai Super Kings too have taken a big step by releasing Matheesha Pathirana—the same bowler whom Dhoni had backed strongly, even telling his family that Pathirana would always remain an important part of CSK. Similarly, the release of Devon Conway, who played a key role in CSK’s 2023 title win, has also been surprising.
Venkatesh Iyer: KKR’s Most Astonishing Decision
Venkatesh Iyer burst onto the scene in 2021, taking KKR to the finals with his explosive batting and handy bowling, even earning a spot in Team India. Despite scoring 404 runs and a century in 2023, his form dipped in 2024 and 2025, managing only 142 runs in the 2025 season.
When KKR bought him back for ₹23.75 crore, he was seen as a future captain. But declining performances and the team’s new direction have led to his release—one of the most unexpected decisions of this retention window. Multiple teams may target him in the upcoming mini-auction.
Nortje and de Kock: Experience Couldn’t Save Them
KKR has also released senior South African players Anrich Nortje (₹6.5 crore) and Quinton de Kock (₹3.6 crore), along with franchise icon Andre Russell. De Kock could score only 152 runs last season, and his strike rate kept dropping. Nortje didn’t get many chances and failed to make an impact when he did. Releasing both indicates that KKR wants to rebuild its foreign core.
Andre Russell: An 11-Year Association Ends
In one of the most talked-about releases in IPL history, KKR has parted ways with their superstar Andre Russell.Russell, part of the team since 2014, was retained for ₹12 crore before the 2025 mega auction.
Russell is considered one of the greatest T20 all-rounders ever. He is one of only two players in IPL history with 2000+ runs and 100+ wickets (the other being Ravindra Jadeja). This makes his release the biggest headline of the 2026 retention cycle.
There were talks of releasing him before 2025 as well, but the decision was deferred. Now 37, Russell recently retired from international cricket and has been playing only T20 since 2019.
In 2025, he scored 167 runs in 10 innings (SR 163.72) with one fifty, and took 8 wickets in 9 matches at an economy of 11.94. Several franchises were reportedly interested in him during trade discussions.
Matheesha Pathirana: Injuries, Form Dip, and Action Modification Changed Everything
CSK has released Matheesha Pathirana, despite retaining him for ₹13 crore in 2025 and seeing him as a crucial part of their long-term plans.
In 2023, Pathirana took 19 wickets in 12 matches with his unique sling action, playing a crucial role in CSK’s title win. Dhoni had even warned that misuse could shorten his career due to injury risks. However, his fitness issues worsened in 2024 and 2025—he had to leave SA20 midway and could take only 13 wickets in IPL 2025, with an expensive 10.13 economy.
Coach Stephen Fleming said that changes made by Sri Lanka Cricket in his release point affected his effectiveness.Still, CSK may try to buy him back at a lower price in the auction, especially with over ₹64 crore left in their purse.
Lungi Ngidi and Mayank Agarwal: Two Important Choices Let Go
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have released Lungi Ngidi and Mayank Agarwal. Ngidi was brought in at a base price of ₹2 crore as a backup for Josh Hazlewood, whose fitness has remained uncertain.
Even though Hazlewood had joined late last season, Ngidi was considered a solid support option—making his release surprising. Similarly, Mayank, who played the final last season in place of Phil Salt, has also been released.
Hasaranga, Theekshana, Farooqi and Akash Madhwal: RR Parts Ways With Several Big Names
Rajasthan Royals have also made major changes, releasing Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Akash Madhwal. All four were seen as crucial to the team’s plans last season, but foreign slot competition and plans for a new combination have led to their exit.
Hasaranga is among the world’s top T20 bowlers. Farooqi is known for his economical bowling, and Theekshana is regarded as a T20 specialist. Releasing emerging pacer Akash Madhwal is also hard to justify. This shows that RR is looking to build a new foreign core and bowling attack in the upcoming auction.
