Overview:
Rachin still fits the modern T20 style as a left-handed top-order batter who can shift roles, bowl useful spin and field well. With clearer usage, another team could easily see him rise from Rs 4 crore into the Rs 5 to 7 crore range.
The IPL 2026 auction will be more about smart player selections than big spending. Several released players from IPL 2025, let go for various reasons, could be key pickups for the upcoming season. When considering role scarcity, age, and changing team strategies, some of these players may earn more than they did in 2025.
Akash Madhwal
Rajasthan Royals have moved on from Akash Madhwal, Kunal Rathode, Ashok Sharma and Kumar Kartikeya while strengthening their squad by bringing in Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran and Donovan Ferreira.
For other teams, Madhwal offers strong value. Indian seamers who can bowl both powerplay and death overs are rare, and many franchises have leaned heavily on overseas quicks. He has already shown he can take important wickets at Mumbai. In auctions where top Indian pacers go early, he becomes a smart, low-risk buy in the Rs 2 to 4 crore bracket.
Quinton de Kock
Kolkata Knight Riders have opted for a significant overhaul. After ending the season in eighth place, they parted ways with nine players, among them Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and Quinton de Kock. They now head into the auction with Rs 64.3 crore available and 13 vacancies to address.
KKR kept their core but chose to rebuild their overseas group from scratch, so retaining an overseas opener who struggled last season did not fit their direction. Across the league, wicketkeepers are in demand. Many Indian openers are tied to long contracts, and a left-handed opener who can also keep wickets and score quickly in the powerplay is a rare option.
For a team with an unstable top order, de Kock offers short-term stability and leadership. Those qualities matter during auctions, which is why a released Rs 3.6 crore player can still attract Rs 4 to 5 crore without seeming overpriced.
Rachin Ravindra
Chennai Super Kings have released Rachin Ravindra a year after using an RTM card to keep him for Rs 4 crore. He scored 191 runs in eight innings in 2025, while Devon Conway made 156 in six. After finishing bottom, CSK reset their squad by letting Rachin, Devon Conway, trading out Jadeja and Curran, and bringing in Sanju Samson for Rs 18 crore.
CSK took this route because their top order struggled, the budget was tight and they wanted a new batting core around Samson. Even so, Rachin still fits the modern T20 style as a left-handed top-order batter who can shift roles, bowl useful spin and field well. With clearer usage, another team could easily see him rise from Rs 4 crore into the Rs 5 to 7 crore range.
Gerald Coetzee
Gujarat Titans have taken a typical GT approach by releasing Gerald Coetzee while keeping their main core intact. Along with Coetzee, they moved on from Mahipal Lomror, Karim Janat and Kulwant Khejroliya, giving themselves 20 players and good auction flexibility.
They likely stepped away from Coetzee because their frontline quicks and Rashid Khan already control key phases, and they prefer choosing overseas bowlers for specific match-ups rather than carrying a mid-priced enforcer.
Coetzee should still be a strong mini-auction target. He is still young, consistently hits 145 to 150 kmph, and offers genuine wicket-taking intent along with solid experience. Any team that fails to secure a top Indian quick or cannot afford the biggest overseas pacers will view him as the ideal alternative.
What makes him valuable is the impact his pace can create, not the numbers he posted in 2025. Starting at 2.4 crore, his price can very realistically climb into the 4 to 6 crore range once the bidding picks up.