The retention deadline on November 15 witnessed several players getting chucked out of various franchises

The IPL 2026 retention deadline has passed, and while several players were retained by their respective franchises, many were also released. Less than a month from now, these players will go under the hammer during the IPL mini auction. At this point, it is impossible to determine which player will be assigned to which team or if they will be picked up or not. Therefore, instead of relying on franchises, we asked ChatGPT to create a playing XI from the list of top released players.

Here's the playing XI ChatGPT came up with.

Top order

(Credit- Livemint)

ChatGPT’s top order comprises Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer, both of whom were released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Iyer was shown the exit door for a disappointing 2025 season, despite being heavily expensive, whereas, according to rumours, Russell felt his pay was low and forced his way. Coming in third for ChatGPT is Faf du Plessis, who was released by the Delhi Capitals (DC).

Middler order

For its middle order, AI selected Glenn Maxwell, coming in at No. 4, followed by John Inglis, Liam Livingstone, and Wanindu Hasaranga at 5, 6, and 7, respectively. Punjab Kings released Maxwell and Inglis, whereas Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) overboarded Hasaranga and Livingstone, respectively.

Lower order

(Credit- Sportsyaari)

ChatGPT finished off the lower order with Akash Deep at No. 8, followed by Ravi Bishnoi at No. 9 and Mohammed Shami at No. 10. Finally, Matheesha Pathirana, let go by Chennai Super Kings (CSK), is placed at No. 11.

Reason listed by the AI

ChatGPT also provided its own reason for selecting the above-mentioned playing XI. The AI wrote, “I prioritised released players who still have strong T20 credentials, power hitting/bowling skills, and could bring impact. The released list (Nov 15) shows many high-profile names that teams cut to restructure. For example, the release of Russell and Iyer by KKR reflects their availability. Maxwell and Livingstone, both released by their franchises, offer value picks with power-hitting capabilities. Spinners like Bishnoi and Hasaranga give good variety and are relatively younger or wicket-taking options. Pace options (Pathirana, Deep, and Shami) give depth and a mix of youth and experience.”

IPL mini auction at a glance

On December 16, the IPL mini auction for 2026 will be held in Abu Dhabi, where 10 teams will compete against each other to secure the best players for the 2026 edition. All eyes will be on KKR and CSK because these two teams have the largest purses of INR 63.4 crore and INR 43.4 crore, respectively, having released most of their players from the 2025 edition, and are on course to restructure their playing XIs.