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The Punjab Kings have confirmed their player retentions ahead of the 2026 IPL Auction, opting to release five members from last season’s squad. The players let go include Glenn Maxwell, Kuldeep Sen, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, and Pravin Dube, while the franchise has ensured that its core group remains intact.

Maxwell, who was in his third stint with the Kings, featured last season, whereas Kuldeep and Hardie did not play a single match. Pravin Dube, meanwhile, made just one appearance.

With the retained roster, it is evident that the management is shaping its upcoming strategy around a strong Indian core, signaling continuity and long-term planning.

Speaking about the retention, Head coach Ricky Ponting said, “We had a great IPL season last year and it happened because of every single player, and thus, I would like to first thank the released players for their contribution to the team.

We will now be aggressively looking to secure high-quality overseas players in the auction, who perfectly plug the defined gaps in our middle-order power-hitting and all-rounder departments. This measured approach, centered on a settled core, is designed to build a deep, balanced squad capable of challenging for the IPL title."

Satish Menon, CEO of Punjab Kings also commented on the retention and said, "We thank all the released players for their commitment to the Punjab Kings family. Our paramount goal was retaining the strong Indian core of our squad, which is absolutely essential for long-term consistency. By securing key performers like Captain Shreyas Iyer and spearhead Arshdeep Singh, we ensure stability in leadership. We will aim to execute a targeted strategy and focus on high-impact replacements.”