Irfan Pathan, a former Indian cricket player, has named the four players whose releases prior to the Indian Premier League 2026 auctions have left him perplexed. As the teams revealed their retained players’ list on November 15, a number of well-known players were let go by their respective teams.
Irfan Pathan thought it was hard to believe that the Kolkata Knight Riders had decided not to keep Andre Russell, even though he was aware that he had become somewhat prone to injuries during the previous season. The former cricket player who is now a broadcaster acknowledged that KKR will struggle to replace Russell unless they purchase him at the December mini-auction.
“I found the publication of so many well-known names to be startling. Andre Russell was the largest. It was a huge surprise that he wasn’t with KKR. He has been able to win matches. He has won you a lot of games over the years, but last year’s form was lacking and there were injury concerns. It’s a different matter entirely if you believe he couldn’t be available for 14 games, but in my opinion, he could have been supported. “Finding a player with his level of skill will be a little challenging,” Irfan wrote on his YouTube page.
Irfan was a little taken aback by the releases of two other players, David Miller and Matheesha Pathirana. Irfan Pathan commended Miller’s experience batting lower in the order and Pathirana’s yorker-bowling skills.
“Matheesha Pathirana bowls yorkers with that slingy movement, bringing a technique that is hard to find. I don’t understand why they would want to buy him back for less money. “It only makes sense if they have moved past him and are staring at someone else,” Irfan Pathan continued.
“As a left-hander, David Miller contributes that finishing ability. Since there is some inexperience in the middle lower-order for LSG, I find this to be a little shocking. They have excellent players at the top, but you need experience in the bottom tier.
It’s a huge miss that David Miller wasn’t there,” Irfan Pathan said.
Vignesh Puthur, who was scouted by the Mumbai Indians in 2025, may have been kept and given a longer rope, the 41-year-old noted. However, he believed MI will still pursue an uncapped player at the auction with INR 2.75 crore in remaining funds.
“MI has not let go of any members of the XI. Like they always offer young players a platform, Vignesh Puthur was supported and given some opportunities as well. They had the option to continue with him. They will surprise everyone by selecting an uncapped player in the auction, even with a small purse,” Irfan Pathan said.
It has been confirmed that on December 16, 2025, the IPL 2026 season auction would be held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The IPL auction will now be held outside of India for the third consecutive year.
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