The Glenn Maxwell-PBKS story has taken another turn and it did not surprise many people this time. Punjab Kings let go of the Australian all-rounder ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction.
Maxwell barely featured in IPL 2025 after injuring his finger midway through the season. Even before that, his runs were not coming. And Punjab could not carry a senior player who was not able to match the rhythm.
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Why did PBKS move on from Maxwell?
Head coach Ricky Ponting even explained the reason for releasing the Australian on retention deadline day. Ponting said he likes Maxwell and loves the energy he brings, but the team just did not get anything out of him last season.
After reviewing the players they wanted to use next season, PBKS decided that Maxwell no longer fit into their first-choice plans.
READ: Can teams trade players even after the IPL 2026 retention deadline and before the mini auction?
"Love Glenn and what he brings to the game. Unfortunately, last year we weren’t able to get the best out of him," Ponting told Star Sports.
"Looking ahead to this season, we didn’t feel he would be part of our starting team, so we decided to release him," he added.
Maxwell’s IPL 2025 run was rough from start to finish. He barely scored across the season and made just 48 runs in six innings and he picked up only four wickets
PBKS had picked him for ₹4.2 crore last auction, hoping the old fireworks would return, but things never clicked.
Which IPL teams are likely to go after Glenn Maxwell at the 2026 mini auction?
This is where the story becomes interesting, because even when Maxwell has a bad IPL season, there are always teams that bid for him and he is unlikely to be out of demand. Let us look at the teams likely to go after Maxwell at the 2026 mini auction.
Chennai Super Kings
CSK could easily be the biggest bidder. They have let go of several senior players and now sit with a massive purse of 43.40 crores. Their squad looks young and they are clearly searching for an experienced all-rounder who can bat in the middle order and offer 2–3 overs when needed.
Rajasthan Royals
RR had one repeating weakness in IPL 2025 that they simply couldn’t finish games. They would build a nice foundation, get into winning positions, and then throw it away.
Maxwell, even in his off years, is a terrific batter against spin and can close out the innings in the final overs. RR often struggles to find the right fourth overseas pick. Maxwell can solve that puzzle instantly.
Gujarat Titans
GT tried a very odd strategy last season. They used only three overseas players regularly and now Sherfane Rutherford, one of their impact players, has been released.
Maxwell can walk into that line-up and give them exactly what they’re missing: a player who can shift momentum in the middle overs and finish strongly.
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