IPL 2026 Auction: 3 MI Releases Who Could Attract Big Bids

Mumbai Indians released eight players from their IPL squad ahead of the auctions. Here are three names from that list who could generate a lot of interest from other franchises.

Mumbai Indians bought Vignesh Putur for Rs 30 lakh in the last IPL auction.

Source : X, @CricCrazyJohns

Show Quick Read

Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Mumbai Indians released key players ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
• Experienced spinner Karn Sharma is a valuable asset for teams.
• Young talent Vignesh Puthur also showed promise with his bowling.

Mumbai Indians (MI) are the joint-most successful team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) along with Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

They won their first title in 2013 under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, and since then, have gone on to script a storied legacy. 

That said, the franchise looks to have entered a new era of late, with Hardik Pandya taking over as captain, and many of the old guard gone. The side has also taken its first steps towards renovating for the next season by naming their retentions.

However, some of the players they released could attract significant attention from other franchises in the upcoming IPL 2026 auction. 

Top 3 Released MI Players Who Be Big Money Buys

3) Lizaad Williams

South Africa's Lizaad Williams was acquired by MI for Rs 75 lakh during last year's Mega Auction, but didn't feature in any games last year due to injury.

He is a handy fast bowler, something which all teams are usually on the lookout for, and hence, has the potential for attracting strong bids from a couple of franchises looking to strengthen their squads.

2) Karn Sharma

MI found a productive spin option in Karn Sharma mid-way through IPL 2025. He picked 7 wickets in 6 matches, providing essential support in their run to Play Offs.

Indian spinners are a highly valued asset in the IPL, let alone an experienced one like Karn Sharma, which is why we might see a bidding war to acquire his services.

1) Vignesh Puthur

Speaking of spinners, Vignesh Puthur was no less of a revelation in the department. The young talent surprised with 6 wickets in 5 matches in his debut season.

Injury brought a promising season to an early end. He has now been released, and would likely ask for a relatively low base price at the IPL 2026 auction, which could easily result in a bidding war given his potential.