The IPL 2027 season is already generating plenty of interest, even though the next season is still months away.
With the IPL 2027 mini-auction expected later in 2026, franchises are beginning to assess their squads, potential trades and players they want to retain for the upcoming season. Recent reports indicate that teams are working toward finalising their retention lists, while the trade market has already produced a major Rishabh Pant–Kuldeep Yadav swap.
However, the official IPL 2027 retention lists have not yet been announced.
This page will track the expected retentions, possible releases, confirmed trades and major squad changes for all 10 IPL teams.
Last updated: August 27, 2026
IPL 2027 Retained Players: Current Status
At this stage, the official IPL 2027 retention list is still pending.
Therefore, the players mentioned below should be considered expected or likely retentions based on the current squads and recent developments, unless specifically marked as confirmed.
| Team | IPL 2027 retention status |
|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | Retention list not announced |
| Delhi Capitals | Retention list not announced |
| Gujarat Titans | Retention list not announced |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Retention list not announced |
| Lucknow Super Giants | Retention list not announced |
| Mumbai Indians | Retention list not announced |
| Punjab Kings | Retention list not announced |
| Rajasthan Royals | Retention list not announced |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Retention list not announced |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Retention list not announced |
Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals are one of the teams whose IPL 2027 squad situation has already changed significantly.
The biggest confirmed development is the return of Rishabh Pant from Lucknow Super Giants to Delhi Capitals, while Kuldeep Yadav moved in the opposite direction. The trade was completed ahead of the IPL 2027 season.
Players likely to be important for Delhi
- Rishabh Pant
- KL Rahul
- Axar Patel
- Abishek Porel
- Tristan Stubbs
- Mitchell Starc
Major confirmed change: Rishabh Pant returns to Delhi Capitals.
Watch: Delhi’s wicketkeeping and leadership combination could become one of the biggest talking points before the retention deadline.
Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants lost Rishabh Pant through the confirmed trade with Delhi Capitals and received Kuldeep Yadav in return.
Players likely to be important for LSG
- Aiden Markram
- Nicholas Pooran
- Mitchell Marsh
- Mayank Yadav
- Avesh Khan
- Kuldeep Yadav
One of LSG’s biggest questions will be its leadership setup after Pant’s departure. Recent reports have linked Aiden Markram with the captaincy discussion.
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians have a strong Indian core, but their IPL 2027 squad could attract significant attention because of the ongoing speculation surrounding Hardik Pandya.
Recent reports have linked Pandya with possible trades to other franchises, while Mumbai Indians have not officially confirmed that he will leave. A recent MI social-media post also triggered fresh speculation about his future.
Key players to watch
- Hardik Pandya
- Rohit Sharma
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Tilak Varma
Status: No confirmed Hardik Pandya trade at the time of writing.
Chennai Super Kings
CSK will be another team to watch closely as franchises prepare their IPL 2027 squads.
Important players from the current squad include:
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Shivam Dube
- MS Dhoni
- Noor Ahmad
- Sanju Samson
The franchise’s retention decisions will determine how much flexibility CSK has at the upcoming mini-auction.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
RCB will enter the IPL 2027 planning period as the defending IPL champions after their 2026 campaign.
Important players to watch include:
- Virat Kohli
- Rajat Patidar
- Phil Salt
- Josh Hazlewood
- Jitesh Sharma
The franchise could focus on maintaining its core while adding players to address specific squad gaps.
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR could be one of the more interesting teams during the trade and retention period.
Recent reports have linked the franchise with interest in players including Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, although these remain unconfirmed reports rather than completed trades.
Potentially important players include:
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Sunil Narine
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals could also be involved in the trade market.
Recent reports have mentioned possible discussions involving players such as Sam Curran and Yashasvi Jaiswal, but these should be treated as rumours until officially confirmed.
Important players to watch include:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Sanju Samson
- Riyan Parag
- Dhruv Jurel
- Jofra Archer
Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans have also been mentioned in recent trade reports, including possible discussions involving young wicketkeeper-batter Urmil Patel and other players. These reports remain unconfirmed.
Key players to watch include:
- Shubman Gill
- Sai Sudharsan
- Rashid Khan
- Jos Buttler
- Mohammed Siraj
Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings will also have important retention decisions to make before the IPL 2027 auction.
Players to watch include:
- Shreyas Iyer
- Arshdeep Singh
- Shashank Singh
- Prabhsimran Singh
- Marcus Stoinis
Recent reports have also mentioned a possible Gujarat Titans–Punjab Kings discussion involving Nihal Wadhera and Gurnoor Brar, although there is no confirmed trade at this stage.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad will need to assess their core squad before the retention deadline.
Important players to watch include:
- Pat Cummins
- Travis Head
- Abhishek Sharma
- Heinrich Klaasen
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
The franchise’s biggest decisions could involve balancing its powerful batting core with its bowling options.
IPL 2027 Possible Releases
It is still too early to publish a definitive list of players who will be released.
The official release and retention announcements will provide the final answer.
Until then, CricRay will separate:
🟢 Confirmed — officially announced
🟡 Expected — based on squad situation and reliable reporting
🔴 Rumour — reported speculation without official confirmation
This distinction is important because IPL transfer rumours can change very quickly.
When Will IPL 2027 Retention Lists Be Announced?
The official deadline for IPL 2027 retention lists has not yet been announced.
Teams are currently preparing their squads ahead of the mini-auction, and the trade window is an important part of that process. Recent reports expect the IPL 2027 mini-auction toward the end of 2026.
Once the official deadline is announced, this article will be updated.
IPL 2027 Retention: What Happens Next?
The expected sequence is:
- Teams assess their current squads.
- Players may be traded.
- Franchises finalise retention decisions.
- Released players enter the auction pool.
- The official auction player list is announced.
- Teams enter the IPL 2027 mini-auction.
- Final squads are completed.
The trade window could therefore have a major influence on the final retention lists.
IPL 2027 Retained Players FAQs
Who has been officially retained for IPL 2027?
The official IPL 2027 retention lists have not yet been announced.
Has Rishabh Pant been retained by Delhi Capitals?
Pant has returned to Delhi Capitals through a confirmed trade from Lucknow Super Giants. This is a trade, not an IPL 2027 retention announcement.
Has Kuldeep Yadav moved to Lucknow Super Giants?
Yes. Kuldeep Yadav moved from Delhi Capitals to Lucknow Super Giants as part of the confirmed Pant-Kuldeep swap.
Is Hardik Pandya leaving Mumbai Indians?
There is currently speculation about Hardik Pandya’s future, but no confirmed trade has been announced.
When will the IPL 2027 retained players list be final?
The official retention deadline has not yet been announced.
Final Word
The IPL 2027 retention battle is only beginning, and several franchises could make significant changes before the auction.
The confirmed Rishabh Pant–Kuldeep Yadav trade has already shown that major squad changes can happen before the retention deadline.
As official announcements arrive, this CricRay page will be updated with the complete IPL 2027 retained players list, released players, confirmed trades and major squad changes.