RR IPL 2027 Retention: Five Players Rajasthan Royals may Release before IPL Mini Auction

Rajasthan Royals spent nearly two decades waiting to replicate their inaugural 2008 title run. The IPL 2026 campaign offered genuine hope. The squad secured fourth place with eight victories and a positive net run rate.

Ultimately, Royals collapsed at the crucial time. A crushing defeat to the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 ended their campaign.
Management cannot ignore the glaring gaps in the team sheet. Jofra Archer bowled his heart out with fiery consistency. Fifteen-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered extraordinary breakout performances. The rest of the supporting cast stumbled badly during the business end of the tournament.

Clearing out dead weight gives the team vital spending power ahead of the IPL 2027 mini-auction. Here are five players Rajasthan Royals will likely release.

Adam Milne

Fast bowlers need functional bodies. Adam Milne cannot stay fit. The Royals brought the New Zealand speedster in as cover for Archer. He stepped onto the grass for exactly one match. He bowled 3.2 overs, leaked 41 runs, and took zero wickets. His economy rate settled at a dismal 12.30. Wasting a premium overseas slot and ₹2.40 crore on an injury-prone spectator makes zero tactical sense.

Shimron Hetmyer

Left-handed Caribbean hitters usually terrorize bowling attacks. Shimron Hetmyer forgot how to bat during his latest stint. National team success did not translate to franchise cricket. Repositioned in the Royals' lineup, he looked completely lost. He scored a miserable 78 runs across seven innings. Averaging 13 with a sluggish strike rate of 113.04 hurts the entire middle order. Retaining an underperforming overseas batter for ₹11 crore cripples the team budget. Releasing him frees up massive capital to hunt for reliable domestic finishers.

Dasun Shanaka

Going unsold at the main auction usually indicates a lack of market demand. Dasun Shanaka originally found no buyers at his ₹75 lakh base price. He joined the squad later as an injury replacement for English all-rounder Sam Curran. He failed to grab the opportunity. The former Sri Lanka captain batted five times, scoring a paltry 63 runs. He averaged 12.60 at a strike rate of 136.95. His highest score was 29. He barely bowled, claiming a single wicket in six overs across three innings. Slashing his ₹2 crore salary gives Rajasthan the flexibility to sign a genuine, match-winning international all-rounder.

Sandeep Sharma

T20 cricket respects form, not past greatness. Sandeep Sharma ranks among the finest swing bowlers in league history. His recent numbers tell a tragic story. Injuries wrecked his rhythm. He managed only six appearances during the 2026 season. He picked up just five wickets at an average of 44.80 while conceding runs at an economy rate of 11.38 destroys powerplay pressure. Dumping his ₹4 crore contract allows the scouts to target fresh, durable Indian seamers.

Kuldeep Sen

Franchises cannot afford to carry injured prospects indefinitely. Kuldeep Sen impressed the coaching staff with his raw pace back in 2024, playing three innings. Injuries kept him sidelined for two entire consecutive seasons. He did not bowl a single competitive delivery in 2026. Freeing up his ₹75 lakh contract sounds minor. The real reward involves opening up a team spot to try uncapped domestic pacers during the upcoming auction cycle.