5 DC Players Who Could Be Released Before IPL 2027 Auction

1. T. Natarajan

Delhi Capitals paid ₹10.75 crore for T. Natarajan at the IPL 2025 mega-auction and retained him for 2026 because of his reputation as a specialist death bowler.The expected control did not arrive.

T. Natarajan IPL 2026 Stats:

• 10 matches
• 5 wickets
• Bowling average: 71.20
• Economy rate: 11.18
• Strike rate: 38.20
• Best figures: 3/29

Natarajan conceded 356 runs from 31.5 overs across the season. Three of his five wickets came in one performance against Lucknow Super Giants, meaning he took only two wickets in his other nine appearances. An average of 71.20 does not mean that every poor result was his fault. It does show that DC received very little wicket-taking return from one of their most expensive specialist bowlers.

For a player earning ₹10.75 crore, Delhi need either regular wickets or consistent control at the death. Natarajan provided neither often enough in 2026. His experience and left-arm angle still carry value, but his price and season return make him one of DC’s strongest potential release candidates.

Why he could be released: 

Delhi is paying him a huge salary, but he only took 5 wickets all season and leaked runs at a high rate. When a costly specialist doesn’t deliver in his specialist job — controlling the death overs — he becomes one of the easiest names to cut.

2. Mukesh Kumar

Delhi used a Right to Match card to buy Mukesh Kumar back for ₹8 crore at the IPL 2025 mega-auction. He entered 2026 as an established Indian pace option who could operate with the new ball and at the death. His season figures fell well below that expectation.

Mukesh Kumar IPL 2026 Stats:

• 10 matches
• 6 wickets
• Bowling average: 58.83
• Economy rate: 11.26
• Strike rate: 31.33
• Best figures: 2/26

Mukesh bowled 31.2 overs and conceded 353 runs. An economy rate above 11 is difficult to absorb from a regular bowler, but the bigger concern was the lack of wickets. Six dismissals from 10 matches meant the expensive overs were not being offset by regular breakthroughs.

Quality Indian seamers are difficult to replace, which gives Mukesh some protection. He also has a stronger IPL history than his 2026 season suggests. However, an ₹8 crore contract demands more than six wickets at an average close to 59. If DC want to redirect money toward a younger Indian fast bowler or a more reliable death option, Mukesh is a logical release candidate.

Why he could be released:

 He’s an expensive Indian pacer who gave away a lot of runs without taking many wickets in return. Good Indian seamers are hard to find, so DC might still keep him — but on pure numbers, ₹8 crore for 6 wickets is hard to justify.

3. Auqib Nabi

Auqib Nabi’s case is more complicated than those of Natarajan and Mukesh. Delhi paid ₹8.40 crore for the Jammu and Kashmir seam-bowling all-rounder at the IPL 2026 auction after he finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy with 60 wickets.His domestic record justified the excitement. His first IPL season did not produce an immediate return.

Auqib Nabi IPL 2026 Stats:

Batting

• 5 matches
• 2 innings
• 14 runs
• Batting average: 14.00
• Strike rate: 350.00
• Highest score: 10 not out
• 2 fours and 1 six

Bowling

• 13 overs
• 149 runs conceded
• 0 wickets
• Economy rate: 11.46
• Best figures: 0/17

The batting strike rate looks spectacular, but it came from only four deliveries. It is not a meaningful sample on which to judge him. The more important number is zero wickets from 13 overs. For a player bought primarily because of his bowling and all-round potential, that was a disappointing beginning.

However, saying that Nabi was a clear failure would be unfair. Five matches are a limited opportunity for a player making the jump from domestic cricket to the IPL, and his Ranji Trophy record shows genuine long-term potential. The issue is price. At ₹8.40 crore, Delhi must decide whether to give him a longer development period or recover the money for a player who can offer a settled role immediately. Nabi is therefore a medium-risk release candidate rather than an obvious one.

Why he could be released:

 Delhi paid a big price expecting both bat and ball contributions, but he took zero wickets in 13 overs and barely batted. It’s not really his fault — he hardly got a chance — but at that price, DC may not want to wait another season to find out if he can deliver.

4. Dushmantha Chameera

Delhi Capitals bought Dushmantha Chameera for ₹75 lakh at the IPL 2025 mega-auction and retained him for IPL 2026 as overseas pace cover. He played only one match.

IPL 2026 figures

• 1 match
• 2 overs
• 18 runs conceded
• 0 wickets
• Economy rate: 9.00
• Best figures: 0/18

Overall IPL career

• 20 matches
• 13 wickets
• Bowling average: 47.77
• Economy rate: 9.70
• Best figures: 2/17

Unlike Natarajan, Mukesh and Nabi, Chameera is not a major financial burden. A ₹75 lakh contract is relatively inexpensive. The concern is the overseas slot. DC already have Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi, Kyle Jamieson and other overseas options competing for limited places in the XI. An overseas reserve who appeared only once may be released simply to create room for a different type of player.

Chameera’s pace and international experience make him useful insurance, but Delhi must decide whether keeping that insurance is more valuable than opening an overseas squad position. His possible release would be based more on squad construction than on the two overs he bowled in 2026.

Why he could be released: 

It’s not really about poor performance — he barely got to play. With so many overseas pacers already in the squad, DC may prefer to free up that one foreign slot for someone who can actually contribute regularly.

5. Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw’s return to Delhi Capitals was one of the most interesting stories before IPL 2026. After going unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, he was reacquired by DC for ₹75 lakh ahead of the 2026 season. The move reunited him with the franchise where he had spent most of his IPL career.

His previous DC record stood at:

• 79 IPL matches
• 1,892 runs
• Batting average: 23.95
• Highest score: 99

But his 2026 season never began.

• IPL 2026 matches: 0
• Innings: 0
• Runs: 0

Delhi preferred other opening combinations involving KL Rahul, Pathum Nissanka and Abishek Porel. Shaw did not make a single appearance.That creates a different kind of release case. There is no poor 2026 innings to criticise because he was never selected. The concern is that DC went through an entire season without finding a role for him. Shaw was born on November 9, 1999. He was 26 during IPL 2026 and will turn 27 before IPL 2027.

His ₹75 lakh contract does not create major financial pressure, but Pant’s return adds further competition for Indian batting and wicketkeeping positions. If DC do not see Shaw as part of their preferred top order, retaining him for another season would offer little value to either the player or the franchise.

Why he could be released: 

He didn’t fail — he simply never played a single match all season. If DC still don’t see a clear spot for him in the XI, especially with Pant now adding to the competition, keeping him on the roster doesn’t help either side.

Two More DC Names to Watch

Karun Nair — featured only twice in IPL 2026: 2 matches, 18 runs, batting average 9.00, strike rate 100.00, highest score 13. The sample is extremely small, and his ₹50 lakh salary is not a serious financial burden. However, with Pant returning and Delhi already carrying several Indian middle-order options, his squad position is uncertain.

Why he could be released, in simple terms: He barely got a look-in, and with more middle-order options arriving, there simply may not be room for him next season.

Sameer Rizv i is a different case and should not be treated as a leading release candidate: 11 matches, 9 innings, 252 runs, batting average 36.00, strike rate 147.36, highest score 90, 2 half-centuries, 15 fours, 17 sixes. Rizvi is young, Indian and costs only ₹95 lakh. He also produced two major innings, including 70 not out against Lucknow Super Giants and 90 against Mumbai Indians. Those numbers make him one of DC’s better-value players. Unless he is involved in a trade or an unexpected squad-balancing decision, retaining him is considerably more logical than releasing him.

Why he’s unlikely to be released, in simple terms: He’s young, cheap, and actually performed well. There’s no real reason for DC to let him go unless it happens as part of a bigger trade.