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Rishabh Pant at the top: Highest paid retained players ahead of IPL 2026 mini auction

Rajgeeta Yadav

Lucknow Super Giants have retained their captain Rishabh Pant [Source: AFP]Lucknow Super Giants have retained their captain Rishabh Pant [Source: AFP]

On November 14, all 10 IPL franchises revealed the list of players they decided to keep and the ones they chose to release before the mini-auction, which will take place in December in Abu Dhabi. 

Many fans were surprised to see some big names like Andre Russell and Matheesha Pathirana being released. At the same time, a few teams showed complete trust in their star players and decided to retain them despite mixed performances.

With the auction coming up soon, here is a look at the top three highest-paid retained players for IPL 2026:

1) Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant continues to be the most expensive player in IPL history. Notably, he was bought for a huge amount of ₹27 crore by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during the IPL 2025 mega auction. Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, LSG decided to retain Pant both as their captain and as a key player.

However, Pant did not have a great season in 2025. In 13 innings, he scored 269 runs, averaging 24.45, with a strike rate of 133.17. These numbers were considered below expectations for someone of his value. 

But the franchise has shown faith in him, believing that his form and leadership will improve. Along with Pant, LSG also retained other big names like Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran.

2) Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer, who was signed by Punjab Kings in the 2025 season, became the second most expensive player with a price tag of ₹26.75 crore. Before the 2026 auction, Punjab has retained him for the same amount.

Notably, Iyer proved his worth last season. As captain, he took Punjab Kings all the way to the finals, where they faced Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). As a batsman, he had his most successful IPL season ever, scoring 604 runs in 17 innings with an impressive average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07, his career-best in the IPL. Because of his strong leadership and consistent run-scoring performance, the franchise decided to continue with him for 2026.

3) Heinrich Klaasen

South Africa wicket-keeper batter Heinrich Klaasen has been retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹23 crore, making him the third highest-paid retained player in this season. Notably, Klaasen scored 487 runs in 14 matches during the IPL 2025 season, proving his value as a dependable finisher and power-hitter.

Over the recent years, Klaasen has been one of SRH’s most reliable batters. So far, he has played 39 innings for SRH, scoring 1,414 runs, including two centuries and seven fifties, a remarkable record for a middle-order player.

With his explosive hitting ability and match-winning performances, SRH had no hesitation in retaining him.