The Indian Premier League (IPL) is gearing up for a historic 2026 season with a major rule change — franchises will now be able to retain an unlimited number of players ahead of the auction.
This groundbreaking decision gives teams greater flexibility in squad building and long-term planning. Unlike previous seasons where franchises were restricted to keeping only a handful of players, they can now preserve their entire core lineup if they wish.
According to IPL insiders, this move aims to strengthen franchise identities and maintain fan connections while reducing the stress of choosing just five or six key players. Most teams are now expected to release only underperformers, focusing instead on stability and strategy.
Dhoni Set to Play IPL 2026 — CSK CEO Confirms
In what will thrill millions of cricket fans, MS Dhoni has officially confirmed his participation in IPL 2026, putting an end to months of speculation about his retirement.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan revealed that the legendary skipper has communicated his decision to continue playing next season. “Dhoni has confirmed his availability and will feature in IPL 2026,” Viswanathan said, assuring fans that the CSK icon isn’t done yet.
Dhoni’s return strengthens an already experienced CSK lineup, as the team looks to maintain its strong core of seasoned performers.
Probable Player Retentions for IPL 2026
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
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Ruturaj Gaikwad
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Ravindra Jadeja
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MS Dhoni
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Matheesha Pathirana
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Noor Ahmad
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Shivam Dube
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Nathan Ellis
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Dewald Brevis
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Rachin Ravindra
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Ayush Mhatre
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Urvil Patel
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Khaleel Ahmed
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Mukesh Choudhary
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Anshul Kamboj
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Shaik Rasheed
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
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Ajinkya Rahane
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Andre Russell
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Sunil Narine
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Rinku Singh
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Angkrish Raghuvanshi
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Ramandeep Singh
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Varun Chakaravarthy
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Anukul Roy
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Mayank Markande
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Harshit Rana
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Vaibhav Arora
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Spencer Johnson
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Umran Malik
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
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Virat Kohli
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Phil Salt
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Rajat Patidar
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Devdutt Padikkal
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Tim David
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Jitesh Sharma
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Krunal Pandya
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Romario Shepherd
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Josh Hazlewood
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar
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Suyash Sharma
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Jacob Bethell
Mumbai Indians (MI)
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Hardik Pandya
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Rohit Sharma
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Jasprit Bumrah
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Suryakumar Yadav
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Tilak Varma
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Trent Boult
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Ryan Rickelton
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Mitchell Santner
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Will Jacks
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Naman Dhir
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Raj Angad Bawa
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Shrijith Krishnan
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Bevon Jacobs
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Arjun Tendulkar
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Ashwani Kumar
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
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Yashasvi Jaiswal
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Riyan Parag
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Dhruv Jurel
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Kunal Rathore
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Yudhvir Singh Charak
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Maheesh Theekshana
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Wanindu Hasaranga
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Jofra Archer
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Akash Madhwal
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Kumar Kartikeya Singh
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Fazalhaq Farooqi
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Nandre Burger
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Ashok Sharma
Gujarat Titans (GT)
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Shubman Gill
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Sai Sudharsan
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Jos Buttler
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Anuj Rawat
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Kumar Kushagra
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Rashid Khan
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Rahul Tewatia
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Washington Sundar
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Kagiso Rabada
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Mohammed Siraj
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Prasidh Krishna
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Gerald Coetzee
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
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Shreyas Iyer
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Josh Inglis
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Prabhsimran Singh
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Nehal Wadhera
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Shashank Singh
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Priyansh Arya
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Harpreet Brar
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Marco Jansen
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Azmatullah Omarzai
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Suryansh Shedge
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Arshdeep Singh
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Vijaykumar Vyshak
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
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Rishabh Pant
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Nicholas Pooran
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Aiden Markram
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Ayush Badoni
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Mitchell Marsh
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Abdul Samad
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Mayank Yadav
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Akash Singh
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M. Siddharth
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Akash Deep
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Shardul Thakur
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Digvesh Rathi
Delhi Capitals (DC)
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Axar Patel
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KL Rahul
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Tristan Stubbs
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Abishek Porel
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Kuldeep Yadav
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Jake Fraser-McGurk
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Mitchell Starc
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Sameer Rizvi
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Ashutosh Sharma
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Manvanth Kumar
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Darshan Nalkande
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
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Pat Cummins
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Travis Head
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Abhishek Sharma
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Heinrich Klaasen
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Atharva Taide
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Nitish Reddy
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Jaydev Unadkat
A New Era of IPL Team Building
With no cap on player retention, IPL 2026 is expected to reshape the dynamics of franchise cricket. Teams can now invest long-term in homegrown talent while maintaining their seasoned stars. The rule promises more continuity, stronger team identities, and deeper rivalries — making the upcoming season one of the most anticipated in IPL history.