IPL 2026: 4 released Indian players who could go unsold in mini-auction

Rajgeeta Yadav

Indian released players who might go unsold [Source: AFP]Indian released players who might go unsold [Source: AFP]

The Indian Premier League (IPL) will return in 2026 with a fresh auction format. This time, the mini auction is expected to take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16. As usual, some big names have already been released by their teams. 

While a few cricketers may still find new franchises, there are some Indian players whose recent performances and circumstances indicate that they might go unsold. Let's take a look.

Vijay Shankar

To begin with, Vijay Shankar is the first name on the list, as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) picked him for ₹1.2 crore in the previous season. Despite receiving multiple opportunities, his performance did not match expectations.

  • Shankar batted in five innings and scored only 118 runs, and although his average of 39.33 seems decent, the impact was missing. 
  • Moreover, he kept shifting positions in the middle order and that inconsistency appeared to affect his flow. His strike rate of 129.67 was considered too slow for a middle-order power hitter in T20.
Series
Inns
Runs
Avg
S/R
20231030137.63160.11
202478316.6115.28
2025511839.33129.67

[Vijay Shankar’s IPL stats from 2023]

Furthermore, the decline in his form has been visible for a while. While he had an impressive strike rate of 160 in 2023, it fell drastically to 115.28 in 2024.  In a league where franchises prefer aggressive batters who can turn games quickly, this drop in scoring rate is a serious concern.

Mohit Sharma

Next on the list is Mohit Sharma, who was bought by Delhi Capitals for ₹2.20 crore last season. Although Mohit has been a reliable IPL bowler over the years and has even won the Purple Cap in the past, age now seems to be catching up with him. At 37 years old, he is not the same force he once was.

Criteria
Stats
Innings 8
Wickets2
S/R75
Eco10.28

[Mohit Sharma's IPL 2025 stats]

In IPL 2025, the right-arm pacer took only two wickets from eight matches and conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.28, which is very expensive by T20 standards. 

  • Additionally, every franchise now places high importance on fitness and extra pace in the pace-bowling department. Since teams are shifting focus toward young and quick bowlers, Mohit may not fit into many strategies.

Karn Sharma

Karn Sharma, who was picked by Mumbai Indians (MI) for ₹50 lakh, has also been released despite decent performances. 

  • Interestingly, he enjoyed a fairly good season in IPL 2025, picking six wickets from six matches with an economy rate of 8.53.
  • However, age and fitness have again become major concerns. At this stage of his career, injuries tend to occur frequently and teams prefer bowlers who can play a full season without recurring fitness issues. 
  • Despite having 83 wickets in 90 IPL matches with a respectable career economy of 8.38, franchises may still look toward younger spinners who offer longer-term prospects.

Deepak Hooda

Finally, Deepak Hooda is another release. Notably, CSK bought him for ₹1.70 crore, hoping he would add firepower in the middle order. Unfortunately, his performance fell drastically. 

  • In 2025 season, Hooda played seven matches and scored only 31 runs, which is alarming for someone expected to be a dependable batsman.
  • Even in the previous season, he scored only 145 runs in 11 matches, indicating a steady decline over time. Since IPL teams expect middle-order batsmen to play match-winning innings consistently, his lack of runs might force franchises to look elsewhere.