IPL 2026: 3 released players who might go unsold at mini auction
Jake Frazer-McGurk (Source: IG/jakefm23)
Published - 15 Dec 2025, 07:56 AM• Read time - 3 mins
IPL auctions are renowned for rags-to-riches stories, franchises breaking their budgets to procure players of their choice, steal buys, and bidding wars never seen before. While the spotlight shines on those who receive a major paycheck, those who fail to attract bids slide into obscurity.
The disappointment that stems from not getting picked at the auction often pushes players into self-doubt and has a detrimental effect on their game.
On that note, let's take a look at three released players who might go unsold at the forthcoming IPL 2026 auction:
1. Spencer Johnson
Spencer Johnson was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 2.80 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. The left-arm speedster played only four games in the previous season, bagging a solitary wicket at an economy rate of 11.73. He experienced back pain during the tournament, and it exacerbated in the lead-up to the T20I series against West Indies. Scans revealed a stress fracture, which required months of rehab, and the pacer is still not fit to play.
His BBL team, Brisbane Heat, recently confirmed that he won't be available to play for them this season. His fitness issues have made him unlikely to feature in the next iteration of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup; therefore, IPL franchises would be reluctant to take a punt on him.
2. Jake Fraser-McGurk
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A dasher, Jake Fraser-McGurk, can be unstoppable on his given day. However, the right-handed batter had a forgettable season for Delhi Capitals (DC) IN 2025. In six games, he could only score 55 runs at an underwhelming strike rate of 105.76.
The team management decided to let go of the 23-year-old following his below-par performance, and he has registered for the IPL 2026 auction at an INR 2 crore base price. Notably, he hasn't scored a single fifty in his last 10 games; therefore, his recent form doesn't seem too convincing either.
3. Rahul Tripathi
After two incredible seasons in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021, 2022), Rahul Tripathi seems to have lost his mojo. He looked out of sorts while playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the previous season, accumulating just 55 runs across five games, averaging 11, at a strike rate of 96.49.
Barring an unbeaten 83 that he scored against Goa in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali on December 8, Tripathi hasn't managed to showcase his batting prowess recently. However, he would hope that franchises would look at his overall IPL record and not his recent outings.
