As excitement builds ahead of the IPL 2026 season, all ten franchises have finalized their retentions before the upcoming mini-auction. The spotlight remains firmly on Lucknow Super Giants’ captain Rishabh Pant, who continues to hold the title of the most expensive player in IPL history with a staggering ₹27 crore price tag.
Reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who lifted their maiden trophy in IPL 2025, have also retained their core group, while other teams have made strategic decisions to strengthen their squads ahead of the auction.
Below is the complete list of the most expensive retained players of IPL 2026:
Most Expensive Players Retained for IPL 2026
| Team | Player | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | Rishabh Pant | ₹27 crore |
| Punjab Kings (PBKS) | Shreyas Iyer | ₹26.75 crore |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | Heinrich Klaasen | ₹23 crore |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | Virat Kohli | ₹21 crore |
| Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | Sanju Samson / Ruturaj Gaikwad | ₹18 crore |
| Rajasthan Royals (RR) | Yashasvi Jaiswal | ₹18 crore |
| Mumbai Indians (MI) | Jasprit Bumrah | ₹18 crore |
| Delhi Capitals (DC) | Axar Patel | ₹16.50 crore |
| Gujarat Titans (GT) | Jos Buttler | ₹15.75 crore |
| Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | Rinku Singh | ₹13 crore |
All teams completed their retention process by the November 15 deadline. With KKR entering the auction with the highest available purse and CSK also strongly positioned, analysts expect several bidding wars and possibly new financial records to be set at the mini-auction.
Fans eagerly await the next chapter of IPL 2026, with many believing that the battle for the title begins much before the first ball is bowled — right at the auction table.
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