Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, Mumbai Indians (MI) has been doing trials for scouting untapped talents. Mumbai Indians has the reputation of finding some of the best underrated talents from the grassroots level of Indian cricket through their scouting projects. Before another fresh season of the Indian Premier League, expectations are high around the 5-time league winners. 

It is reported that during one of their recent trial camps, an uncapped Indian chairman bowler was spotted. It was Shubman Rana. Who follows Indian cricket thoroughly has perhaps already heard the name before. The emerging spinner already grabbed attention from multiple IPL franchises with his bowling skills. 

Who is Shubham Rana? 

Shubham Rana is an under-19 prospect and a left-arm wrist spinner, which is rare in cricket, and he has terrific control over his bowling and variations. There are multiple videos on the internet from which viewers can see glimpses of his bowling. One of his best weapons is googly. Rana can deliver a defense-breaking googly because of his control over the bowling. Hailing from Punjab, the spinner worked as a net bowler for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) before but was not selected in the final squad. During the 2023-24 U19 Cooch Behar Trophy, Rana had been in fine form. According to stats, he claimed 28 wickets in 6 matches with an average of just 13.6.

Read More: Watch: KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar issues huge statement on Prithvi Shaw ahead of IPL 2026

In the last season, Mumbai Indians surprised the cricket fans by introducing Vignesh Puthur and Ashwani Kumar in multiple crucial matches. They released Puthur ahead of the upcoming auction. If the MI management wants to rope in another underrated bowler who can put the opposition batters in surprise, then Shubham Rana can be a good option. 

Shubham Rana - U19 Punjab Chinaman attending 2nd round of Mumbai Indians Trials today!
((RR, CSK Net bowler, Sher-E-Punjab: Eco-7.4, Avg-17.8))
MI always had their love towards left arm bowlers in IPL 🤞 pic.twitter.com/LeVceKnJqK

— MI Blud☄️ (@micricket2013) November 20, 2025

Players released and retained by Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2026 auction: 

Released players: Satyanaryana Raju, Vignesh Puthur, Reece Topley, Bevon Jacobs, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Lizaad Williams, Karn Sharma, KL Shrijith, and Arjun Tendulkar (traded to Lucknow Super Giants). 

Retained players: Allah Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell Santner, Naman Dhir, Raghu Sharma, Raj Angad Bawa, Robin Minz, Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Will Jacks, Shardul Thakur (traded in from Lucknow Super Giants), Mayank Markande (traded in from Kolkata Knight Riders), and Sherfane Rutherford (traded in from Gujarat Titans).

Should Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bid for Prithvi Shaw during the IPL 2026 mini auction? The question has been asked constantly on social media platforms mainly for two reasons—the huge purse of KKR ahead of IPL 2026 and Prithvi Shaw's recent performance. Amid the discussions around Shaw's chances in the upcoming auction, a video of Abhishek Nayar is surfacing on the internet. 

Nayar, the apppinted coach of the multi-time IPL franchise, said in the podcast that he would like to work with Shaw. The date of publication of the podcast is not mentioned in the social media post, but still, Nayar's admiration and willingness to work with the talenten batter are clear from his comments. 

Nayar said, "If I had to work with someone that has potential, and messed it up and everyone knows. Maybe Prithvi (Shaw). Because of what he's going through. But! That is what I want." 

Read More: Watch: Steve Smith announces Australia's XI for AUS vs ENG 1st Ashes 2025-26 match

In the video, Nayar further stated, "I think that would be a fun person to work with. To sort of resurrect his career, which I'm pretty sure he will on his own if he puts in the work. Because, he is God's gift to cricket."

Abhishek Nayar drops a banger 🗣:
"I would like to work with PRITHVI SHAW"

Well, well 👀😀

Can anyone tell me the timeline of this interview?

KKR Fandom, can we see PRITHVI SHAW in KKR? 💜❤
pic.twitter.com/7BSPT0P72r

— Cricketwood (@thecricketwood) November 19, 2025

Why should KKR go for Shaw? 

KKR was the champion of IPL 2024 season but missed a chance in IPL 2025 in the round of four. For the upcoming season, with over INR 60 crore in money bag, they are ready for some big deals. After a deep downfall in career, Prithvi Shaw is now in a redemption mode with Maharahstra cricket team. To revamp his career, the top-order batter shifted from Mumbai to Maharashtra. Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, Indian cricket fans are curious about his future in the Indian Premier League.  

After a disappointing season in IPL 2025, the former champions are all set to make some changes in their squad. They may have the desire to sign some exciting top-order batters who can score runs aggressively. Shaw can be fit for this role. Shaw’s powerplay aggression and spin-hitting ability would suit Eden Gardens’ traditional pitch conditions. The right-handed batter also can be useful if the franchise wants to apply a rotational formula to utilize most of their talents. 

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is in search of exciting uncapped talents ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). It is reported that Sunny Sandhu, a TNPL star, was in the trial arranged by the multi-time league champion franchise in Chennai. 

Sunny Sandhu, a pace bowling all-rounder, emerged as a watch-out talent during this year's Tamil Nadu Premier League. The emerging all-rounder played multiple well-impacted knocks during the season with the Salem Spartans. He performed equally well with the ball and the bat. Sandhu showed his hard-hitting skills as a lower-order batter on multiple occasions. 

Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, KKR let go of their star pace bowling all-rounder Andre Russell. It is now obvious that they will try to secure at least one pace bowling all-rounder as a like-for-like substitution. They will need backups as well to increase the bench strength. 

Read More: Watch: Steve Smith announces Australia's XI for AUS vs ENG 1st Ashes 2025-26 match

Sunny Sandhu was at a KKR trial in Chennai ahead of IPL 2026 season

Sunny Sandhu is a 22-year-old all-rounder and can be a good asset if he is able to perform well in the trial seasons. Rather than his bowling skills, it was his aggressive batting that attracted cricket fans' attention. As of now, Sandhu is inexperienced in the higher stage of franchise cricket. 

One of the best moments of Sandhu in TNPL 2025 was during the Salem vs. Trichy match at Coimbatore when he scored 45 runs as a middle-order batter and took a couple of wickets to secure a much-needed win. Against Chepauk Super Gillies, the all-rounder scored 30 off 18 with one boundary and a couple of over-boundaries. 

KKR Retained Players: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, ⁠Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy

Available Slots: 13 (including 6 Overseas slots)

Available Purse: INR 64.3 Crore.

Watch Sunny Sandhu's batting in this video:

Sunny sandhu from Tamil Nadu as been called for kkr trials in chennai did well pic.twitter.com/zKeHuI88o7

— Rebellious Knight 🦁 (@Knight__74) November 19, 2025

Sanju Samson has finally slipped out into the Chennai Super Kings franchise ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The India wicket-keeper batter came into the five-time champions’ side having been traded for a price of INR 18 crore as the Super Kings have let go of their experienced campaigner, Ravindra Jadeja, and all-rounder Sam Curran. 

In a video posted by the Chennai Super Kings on social media platforms, Sanju Samson opened up on the long-awaited moment. He admitted that the move had been a powerful emotional story as he wore the number 11 yellow jersey for the very first time.

See Also: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli pushed out of Test cricket? Former India star hits out at Gautam Gambhir

“I have been waiting for this day, and I am very fortunate that I am going to wear the yellow jersey. I always am in my dark colours like black, blue, brown, but not yellow. Definitely, I think it's a great feeling. To wear that jersey, I never thought about how I would feel after wearing CSK. It felt positive, and I felt very happy. It felt different, like a different energy. I felt like a champion. I felt like, okay, wow!!” Samson said in the video.

Watch: Sanju Samson shares emotional story on IPL 2026 trade to CSK

Samson has overall smashed 4704 runs in 172 innings of the IPL at an average of 30.94 with a strike rate of nearly 140, with the help of three centuries and 26 half-centuries at the best score of 119 runs. Apart from the 285 runs last year, Samson has crossed the 300-run mark in every single season since 2017.

"Felt like a champion.” – Sanju
In Yellove, the spirit chooses you 💛 #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/Eh4S0G5Am9

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) November 19, 2025

Overall in the T20s, the 31-year-old has collected 7763 runs in 296 innings. The right-handed batter got this record at an average of around 30 and a strike rate of 136.72 with the help of six centuries and 49 half-centuries at the best score of 119.

Samson is likely to bat at number three in the department for the Super Kings, while Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ayush Mhatre are likely to open the batting. Samson will be a massive person in the south come this March when he turns up at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

The IPL 2026 retention list is out. Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings are expected to start big bidding wars because they have the highest purse among the 10 teams for next month’s mini IPL auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16.

KKR will enter the auction with Rs 63.4 crore after releasing some major non-performing players like Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 23.75 crore) and Andre Russell (Rs 12 crore). CSK have also created a purse of Rs 40 crore by releasing many players, even after trading Sanju Samson.

More than 160 players have been retained by the 10 IPL teams ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Here is a look at the most expensive player of each team before the auction.

Also Read -Watch: Ruturaj Gaikwad's elegant cover drive during IND A vs SA A ODI match

1. Rishabh Pant (LSG): LSG signed Pant for Rs 27 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction. Even though he had a poor season, the team has retained him for IPL 2026.

2. Shreyas Iyer (PBKS): Punjab Kings bought Shreyas Iyer for Rs 26.75 crore last year. In IPL 2025, he became their highest run-scorer. Under his captaincy, PBKS topped the table and finished as runners-up.

3. Heinrich Klaasen (SRH): SRH retained Heinrich Klaasen for Rs 23 crore before the IPL 2025 mega auction. He scored 487 runs in 14 matches in IPL 2025.

4. Virat Kohli (RCB): Kohli was RCB’s highest run-scorer in IPL 2025. He has been retained for Rs 21 crore and will play for RCB in IPL 2026.

5. Jasprit Bumrah (MI): Mumbai Indians retained Bumrah for Rs 18 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. He is MI’s highest wicket-taker in IPL history.

6. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson (CSK): Both Gaikwad and Samson are CSK’s highest-paid players at Rs 18 crore each. Samson joined CSK in a trade deal, while Gaikwad was retained last year.

7. Axar Patel (DC): Delhi Capitals retained Axar Patel for Rs 18 crore. He also led the team in IPL 2025.

8. Rashid Khan (GT): Rashid Khan is Gujarat Titans’ most expensive player. He was retained for Rs 18 crore before the IPL 2025 mega auction.

9. Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR): Rajasthan Royals retained Jaiswal for Rs 18 crore. He was their highest run-scorer in IPL 2025.

10. Rinku Singh (KKR): After KKR released Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh became their highest-paid player ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.

The former Indian star player and the coach of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Anil Kumble, has dropped a stunning suggestion for the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the 2026 season of the event. He reckoned that despite the inclusion of Sanju Samson in the trade window, the five-time champions should continue to open with their captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad. 

It would, however, be an interesting choice for Ruturaj Gaikwad’s opening partner between Ayush Mhatre and Samson. The former was exceptional in the small chances he got last season, while the Kerala batter comes with loads of experience, having opened for the Rajasthan Royals.

See Also: "Leave your ego..."- Sunil Gavaskar blasts at India's approach ahead of 2nd South Africa Test

“It's great to see Ruturaj Gaikwad back as captain of the Chennai Super Kings after his injury last season. My clear advice to him is to open the batting himself. While they have Sanju Samson and the promising Ayush Mhatre, Ruturaj is best suited as an opener for CSK. His leadership and batting at the top will provide the stability the team needs.” Kumble expressed on JioStar.

Anil Kumble backs Ruturaj Gaikwad to open for CSK in IPL 2026

Kumble put his weight on the debate of Rajasthan’s next captain, in addition, as he named the three existing players of the squad who can lead the team in the tournament. They will go into the mini auction with a purse of INR 16.05 crore.

“Ravindra Jadeja returning to the Rajasthan Royals is a big move. Generally, CSK doesn't let go of their players, especially someone of Jadeja's quality who has had a long relationship with them. I was surprised they let him go. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson's coming to CSK is certainly a great move for them. Interestingly, Jadeja has also taken a pay cut from 18 crore to 14 crore.” Kumble addressed the interaction.

“They need to find a new captain. They have several options - Riyan Parag led them in a couple of matches last season, Yashasvi Jaiswal has always harbored captaincy dreams, young Dhruv Jurel has the right temperament, and there's the overseas option of Sam Curran. So Ravindra Jadeja becomes another interesting possibility for their leadership role.” The commentator shed light.

Should Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) again bid for Venkatesh Iyer during the IPL 2026 auction? The question has been running around since they released their list of released players. KKR, who bought Iyer for INR 23.75 in the mega auction ahead of the IPL 2025 season, let him go ahead of a new Indian Premier League season. During a recent YouTube conversation, the cricketer himself claimed that the franchise can again try to acquire his service for another season. 

During the conversation Venkatesh Iyer said that he has been in discussion with Kolkata Knight Riders. He is still in touch with the newly appointed head coach, Abhishek Nayar. 

'Yes, I’ve been in conversation with KKR. I’m still in touch with Abhishek Nayar. We are all looking forward to the auction, and let’s see what happens," Iyer stated. 

Read More: Watch: Nepal defeats Pakistan by 10 wickets in Women's Blind T20 World Cup 2025 match

During the IPL 2025 campaign, the southpaw played eleven matches and scored 142 runs at an average of 20.28, including the highest score of 60. In the 2024 season, his batting average was 46.25. After the massive dip in the batting stats of Iyer, KKR team management decided to let him go to secure a handsome purse for the mini auction. 

Released and retained players of Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2026: 

Released Players of KKR: Andre Russell (₹12 crore), Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore), Quinton de Kock (₹3.6 crore), Moeen Ali (₹2 crore), Anrich Nortje (₹6.5 crore), Spencer Johnson (₹2.80 crore), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (₹2 crore)

Retained Players of KKR: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, ⁠Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy

Available Slots: 13 (including 6 overseas slots)

Available Purse: INR 64.3 Crore.

The build-up to IPL 2026 is already gaining pace, with several franchises confirming their coaching structures months before the new season. While most teams have opted for continuity, a few high-profile changes, led by Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders, have added fresh intrigue to the upcoming campaign.

Sangakkara Returns to Lead Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals have made the biggest early move by reinstating Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara as head coach for IPL 2026. His return comes after Rahul Dravid’s exit following a disappointing 2025 season that saw RR finish ninth with only four wins in 14 games. Sangakkara previously coached the side from 2021 to 2024 and will resume dual responsibilities as Head Coach and Director of Cricket.

RR confirmed his comeback with a post on X, hinting at a renewed direction as the franchise looks to rebuild its core strategy and restore consistency. His experience in player development and tactical planning is expected to play a central role in the Royals’ revival efforts.

Abhishek Nayar Takes Charge at KKR

Kolkata Knight Riders have also entered a new coaching era, promoting Abhishek Nayar to head coach after Chandrakant Pandit stepped down. Nayar has been part of KKR’s think tank since 2018 and is credited with shaping several of the franchise’s rising talents. His strong grasp of the team’s culture makes him a natural successor as KKR ushers in a new cycle.

ALSO SEE: IND vs SA ODI: Major updates on ticket sale, ticket prices announce in Raipur as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli set to play

Full List of IPL 2026 Head Coaches

What It Means for IPL 2026

IPL 2026 will feature a mix of stability and fresh ideas. Sangakkara’s return provides RR with a seasoned voice, while Nayar’s elevation signals KKR’s long-term investment in homegrown leadership. With seasoned tacticians like Fleming, Jayawardene and Vettori also steering their squads, fans can expect a highly strategic and fiercely competitive season ahead.

Ahead of IPL 2026, a 19-year-old batter has been making headlines for swashbuckling batting. Kartik Sharma, a wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan, smashed a blazing 100 off 139 balls. The innings was laced with 7 sixes in their Ranji Trophy clash against Delhi on November 17 (Monday). 

It was not the first time Sharma has shown his brilliant, hard-hitting skills. During the Mumbai vs Rajasthan Ranji Trophy Group D at Jaipur, the emerging cricketer scored 139 off 192. In this innings, he hit thirteen 4s and three 6s and built a massive partnership with Deepak Hooda. According to stats, the young batter has already thrashed 16 sixes in just 6 innings. Before the IPL 2026, this type of stormy batting had attracted cricket fans' attention for obvious reasons. 

Who is Kartik Sharma? 

Despite the young age, because of the batting style and intensity, IPL scouts spotted him before. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was among the first few IPL franchises that spotted the talent. According to media reports, earlier during IPL 2025, Kartik was spotted in a couple of CSK camps. He was among the exciting talents in the trail arranged by CSK. 

Read More: Watch: Team India's batting season in Kolkata before leaving for IND vs SA 2nd Test in Guwahati

He was not among those who have played plenty of cricket already. Sharma, so far, has played only seven T20s and smashed 201 runs in six innings, averaging 33.50, and scoring at a strike rate of 164.75 with 17 sixes. 

During the match against Delhi, he perhaps was in the most aggressive mode against a talented Delhi cricketer, Manan Bhardwaj. Against Bhardwaj, Sharma registered 40 off just 15 balls, including hitting four sixes. In early January this year, the middle-order batter scored a century against Railways in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match.

The Delhi Capitals, during the trade window ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), added the middle-order Indian batter, Nitish Rana, to the squad as he moved from the Rajasthan Royals to his state team, where the southpaw enjoyed an excellent time in the middle order of the eleven. Rana is yet to feature for the Delhi side in the IPL. 

The left-handed batter, Nitish Rana, who made his IPL debut in 2016, featured for the Mumbai Indians in the first couple of seasons before shifting his base to the Kolkata Knight Riders from 2018 to 2024, where he also captained the franchise when Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the 2023 season due to injury. Rana has overall smashed 2853 runs in 112 innings of the IPL at an average of 27.97 with the help of 20 fifties at the best score of 87.

See Also: Who will replace injured Shubman Gill as new captain for IND vs SA ODI 2025 series?

In the previous season of the IPL for the Rajasthan Royals, the left-handed batter collected 217 runs in 11 innings at an average of 21.70 and a strike rate of 161.94, with the help of two half-centuries at the best score of 81.

Watch: Delhi Capitals share special video of Nitish Rana ahead of IPL 2026 season

Rana’s best season of the IPL came in 2023 as he smashed 413 runs in 14 innings at an average of around 32 and a strike rate of 140.95 with the help of three fifties at the best score of 75. From the 2017 season to 2023, the left-handed batter crossed the 300-run mark in an IPL season for seven straight years.

10 years later… your boy is finally home, Dilli 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dz3jPbP97y

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) November 18, 2025

Rana’s inclusion will be incredibly vital for the Axar Patel-led Capitals’ side as he would take care of the middle order, thanks to his excellent skill against the spinners to counter with the big shots and rotating the strike.

Rana has overall collected 4848 runs in 193 innings of the shortest format at an average of 28 and a strike rate of 135.91 with the help of 32 half-centuries and a century at the best score of 107 runs. Last year, Delhi failed to qualify for the playoffs despite going through a cracking first half of the event.