Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra wants Punjab Kings to release Glenn Maxwell ahead of IPL 2026 auction. Maxwell had failed to deliver the goods in the previous season of the tournament, managing only 48 runs in six innings at an average of eight and a strike rate of 97.95.
Maxwell was ruled out of the rest of the IPL 2025 with a fractured finger and his compatriot Mitchell Owen had replaced him. Chopra said the previous season’s runners-up can release Maxwell and they can keep Mitchell Owen.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “Glen Maxwell can be released because he was at 4.2 crore. In his place, Mitchell Owen had come in at a 3 crore price cap, so you already have money available. If you release Maxwell and keep Mitchell Owen, I will not begrudge it at all. Besides that, I’m thinking who else will be released? Vishnu Vinod? Because he is worth around 1 crore, precisely ₹95 lakh.”
The renowned commentator reckons PBKS can retain the rest of the squad.
“The rest, nothing. You can’t leave too many people. So I don’t think there’s much in this team. Aaron Hardie, ₹1.25 crore, they didn’t play him. If they want, they can release him. Azmatullah, I won’t release. I won’t even think about anyone else. Xavier Bartlett had come for only 80 lakh. I don’t think there’s any player they would want to release easily. So that’s it,” he added.
On the other hand, Chopra said Gujarat Titans are expected to make minimal changes to their squad before the IPL 2026 auction.
Chopra said, “Now they need someone in the middle order. Let’s assume they need that, unless, of course, you know David Miller is going to come, then maybe make space for him. So release Karim Janat to make room for David Miller. You will still keep Shahrukh Khan with you, Mahipal Lomror with you, Rahul Tewatia with you. You’re not going to change too much. I don’t expect Gujarat to make many changes. And there’s no reason to release Rahul Tewatia.”
“Whatever happens with CSK, maybe Washi will come, that was a rumor, let it remain a rumor, because I don’t think it will actually happen. In fast bowling, sometimes you might think about releasing Arshad Khan, but he does enough work, and he’s only 1.3 crore, so you can keep him. If you want to release Ishant Sharma, of course, you can release him. That’s one option. There’s also talk about Kagiso Rabada, but Rabada is expensive, agreed. But who else, like Kagiso Rabada will come in the auction? And if you try to buy him back, it might still cost that much. So from that perspective, you might as well keep him,” he added.
The renowned commentator said the Gujarat Titans can think of releasing Kumar Kushagra, Jayant Yadav and Mahipal Lomror.
“So if you want to release someone, maybe Kumar Kushagra at 65 lakh, or Jayant Yadav at 75 lakh, Mahipal Lomror at 1.7 crore, you can try that. But I don’t think this team is going to have many movers and shakers. Gujarat Titans are also unlikely to make many moves, so I don’t think they will release too many players. Mostly, the team will retain their core players.”
The last date to reveal the retention list is November 15.
