Australian power-hitter Glenn Maxwell, former England all-rounder Moeen Ali and South African legend Faf du Plessis are among the top names who will not be seen in action during the Indian Premier League 2026.
While Ali and Du Plessis have opted to play in the Pakistan Super League, Kolkata Knight Riders' muscle man, Andre Russell, has retired, and when the list of 1355 players, who have registered for the mini-auction, was released, Maxwell was a notable absentee.
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The Australian saw a dip in form in the last two IPL editions and has now excused himself from going under the hammer. He was released by the Punjab Kings due to an injury and was subsequently replaced by fellow Australian Mitchell Owen.
He was struggling with the bat and racked up just 48 runs from six innings with a strike rate of a mere 97.95, quite underwhelming when compared to his lofty standards. In the campaign before that, in IPL 2024, he was with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and scored 52 runs from nine innings; a sharp decline in productivity.
Injuries have also set him back. He had to undergo wrist surgery, which forced him to remain on the sidelines during the New Zealand series and miss a handful of fixtures against India. However, he remains one of the probables for the Australian squad, which will visit the sub-continent for the T20 World Cup 2026.
What did Moeen Ali and Faf du Plessis opt out of IPL?
Announcing his decision on Instagram, Ali wrote a heartfelt post, which read: "I’m really excited to be joining HBL PSL in its New Era. The league has earned a reputation for top-level T20 cricket, with high-quality competition and world-class talent across every team. Playing in Pakistan is always incredible; quality of cricket is outstanding and the passion and intensity from the crowd push you to bring your best. I’m looking forward to being part of it all and creating some great memories along the way. Ready for another special experience Insha’Allah!"
Ali was released by KKR as the Kolkata squad is looking to make wholesale changes to their roster. The all-rounder has been a regular at the IPL since 2018, and has put on the jerseys of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings and KKR across 73 matches, scoring 1,167 runs and taking 41 wickets.
Earlier, in November, Du Plessis walked away from IPL to shift his focus to the PSL.
"After 14 seasons in the IPL, I've decided not to put my name into the auction this year. It's a big decision, and one that comes with a lot of gratitude when I look back," du Plessis wrote in a statement on his social media handles.
"This league has been a massive part of my journey. I've been lucky to play with world-class teammates, for amazing franchises, and in front of fans whose passion is like nothing else. India has given me friendships, lessons, and memories that have shaped me as a cricketer and as a person."
The South African has not closed the door on a future return and wrote: "Fourteen years is a long time, and I'm proud of what this chapter has meant to me. India has a special place in my heart, and this certainly isn't goodbye - you'll see me again. This year, I've chosen to take on a new challenge and will be playing in the upcoming PSL season.
"It's an exciting step for me - a chance to experience something new, to grow as a player, and to embrace a league filled with incredible talent and energy. A new country. A new environment. A new challenge. I'm looking forward to the Pakistan hospitality."
Du Plessis have won the IPL twice with CSK and has amassed 154 appearances during his 14-year stint. He has scored 4773 runs and is the fourth-highest run-scorer among overseas players in the IPL.
Andre Russell set for a new role with KKR
One of the most discussed decisions at the retention deadline was KKR letting go of Russell.
As speculation over Russell' s future grew, an old tweet from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore went viral last month after the franchise released him ahead of the IPL 2026 mega-auction.
The Jamaican all-rounder had expressed in a 2020 interview that he wished to remain with KKR "until the end" of his IPL career. Responding at the time, Mysore publicly reaffirmed the franchise’s commitment to Russell, tweeting:
@Russell12A no doubt you will remain a Knight Rider until you retire from the game & beyond! #Superman https://t.co/RydHeqKzo8
— Venky Mysore (@VenkyMysore) May 3, 2020
Indeed, Russell will continue with KKR as their power coach in 2026.
In a statement, he said: "Hello KKR fans. I'm here today, to tell you that I’ve made a decision to retire from the IPL. I will still be active playing in various leagues around the world and for all the other KKR franchises. I had some amazing times and great memories (in the IPL), hitting sixes, winning games, getting MVPs...
"When I made this decision, I felt like it was the best decision at this point. I don’t want to fade out, I want to leave a legacy behind. It's best to retire when fans ask "why? You still have some more in you. You still could go for a bit longer." Instead of "yeah, you should have done it years back.
"When you are going through social media, you keep seeing yourself photoshopped in different jerseys (of other teams). I felt weird to see myself in any colour other than purple & gold and those thoughts kept going through my head, leading me to a few sleepless nights".
Talking about his new role, Russell added: "There have been a lot of conversations between me and Mr. Venky Mysore and also Mr. Shah Rukh Khan, about another chapter in my IPL journey. They have shown me love and respect and have appreciate whatever I've been doing on the field. To be in a setup that's familiar, matters to me a lot.
"So Kolkata, I'll be back. I'm here to say I will be a part of the KKR support staff as the new Power Coach in 2026. When I heard that name - ‘Power Coach’, I felt that describes Andre Russell the best, because the power that I possess when I bat, the energy that I show in the field with ball in hand, I can help in any department. So, see you soon. Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo."
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