5 players who played IPL 2025 but are missing in 2026

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen a lot of players come and go in its 19-year history. However, with the going of former legends comes a chance for new, hungry players to stamp their authority in the tournament. 

The IPL has seen a host of players retire from the tournament having left a permanent mark in the history of the great franchise tournament in the world. These include the likes of Lasith Malinga, Sachin Tendulkar, David Warner and Shane Warne to name a few. 

It is, however, worth mentioning that not every player missing out in the 2026 IPL will never make a comeback. Sometimes players that are left unsold in the auction can make a comeback as an injury replacement for a certain franchise midway through the competition. 

Here are 5 players who played in the 2025 IPL but are missing in 2026 edition 

5. Jonny Bairstow – England

Jonny Bairstow has always been on the cusp of missing out on the Indian Premier League (IPL). The England wicketkeeper went unsold during the 2025 auction but was later picked up by the Mumbai Indians during the latter stages of the tournament as a replacement for Will Jacks.

The hard-hitting batter went unsold in the most recent mini-auction, meaning that this could very well be the end of his IPL career.

Bairstow played for three franchises – Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians – scoring 1,674 runs from 52 games in the world’s biggest franchise tournament. He went on to score two centuries, with his most recent coming against the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, where his unbeaten 108 from 48 balls saw the Punjab Kings chase down 262.