IPL 2026: Gujarat Titans Retain Rabada, Lucknow Super Giants Release David Miller, KKR Plans Major Rebuild Ahead of Auction
Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, are likely to retain fast bowler Kagiso Rabada ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, which will be held in December. Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders have also started preparing for the auction. Gujarat began their IPL 2025 season strongly, winning four of their first five games, but lost form later. The team is now planning to make important changes and may release a few players before the next season.
Gujarat Titans were in great form for most of the IPL 2025 season, winning nine of their first twelve matches under Shubman Gill’s leadership and looking set for a top-two finish. But two big defeats in their last league games saw them drop to third place. The Ahmedabad-based team then faced Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator, where their weaknesses were exposed in a 20-run loss that ended their campaign.
Still, there were plenty of positives for the 2022 champions. Sai Sudharsan shone with the bat, winning the Orange Cap with 759 runs, while Prasidh Krishna led the bowling attack and claimed the Purple Cap with 25 wickets. With these strong performances, the Titans will look to fix their shortcomings and come back stronger in IPL 2026.
Gujarat Titans signed Kagiso Rabada for ₹10.75 crore before the IPL 2025 season. He played only four matches, took two wickets, and gave away runs at an economy rate of over 11. His form was poor and a reported drug issue forced him to leave the team for some time. Even with his high salary and low impact, Gujarat Titans are likely to keep him for the next season.
Lucknow Super Giants Likely to Release David Miller Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction
Lucknow Super Giants are likely to release senior batter David Miller before the mini auction to free up his ₹7.5 crore salary. The team plans to use the money to sign an overseas all-rounder, with Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai being their main target. Miller, who joined LSG in the 2025 mega auction, had a poor season scoring only 153 runs in 12 matches with an average of 19.12 and a strike rate below 130. His lack of form and injury issues were among the reasons for LSG’s mid-table finish last season.
KKR to Release Venkatesh Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane Ahead of Auction
Kolkata Knight Riders are planning a major team rebuild ahead of IPL 2026. The three-time champions are likely to keep around eight key players, including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Rinku Singh, but are set to release Venkatesh Iyer and former captain Ajinkya Rahane. With a ₹40 crore purse, KKR aims to bring in an overseas all-rounder like Cameron Green and a strong fast bowler to boost their pace attack and overall balance for the new season.
