Punjab Kings on Saturday announced their player retentions for the IPL 2026 season, releasing five players from last year’s squad as the franchise works towards rebalancing its line-up ahead of the T20 auction.
2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Dream begins here 🤞🦁#PunjabKings #IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/zmnVCQy4qB
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) November 15, 2025
The franchise has released Glenn Maxwell, Kuldeep Sen, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, and Pravin Dube. Maxwell completed his third stint with Punjab Kings in the previous season, while Sen and Hardie did not feature in a single match.
𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫! ❤️#PunjabKings #IPLRetention pic.twitter.com/7oLixtHpFc
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) November 15, 2025
Dube played only one game during the 2025 campaign.
Punjab Kings have largely retained its Indian core.
Head coach Ricky Ponting said the decision-making process was guided by the need to maintain balance while preparing for targeted additions at the auction.
“We had a great IPL season last year and it happened because of every single player, and thus I would like to thank the released players for their contribution,” Ponting said.
“We will now be aggressively looking to secure high-quality overseas players in the auction who can address specific gaps in our middle-order power-hitting and all-rounder departments. Our measured approach, centred on a settled core, is designed to build a deep, balanced squad capable of challenging for the IPL title,” added the former Australian skipper.
Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon said the focus remained on retaining strong Indian performers.
“We thank all the released players for their commitment to the Punjab Kings family. Our paramount goal was retaining the strong Indian core of our squad, which is essential for long-term consistency. By securing key performers like captain Shreyas Iyer and spearhead Arshdeep Singh, we ensure stability in leadership,” Menon noted, adding, “We will aim to execute a targeted strategy and focus on high-impact replacements.”
The IPL 2026 auction is scheduled later this year, with all franchises finalising their retention lists ahead of the deadline.