IPL 2027: These franchises will be active at mini-auction
What's the story
The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction is coming back home. As per the BCCI's latest update, the 2027 mini-auction will be held in India after the previous few were staged overseas. The exact date and venue are yet to be announced. For franchises, however, strategic planning has begun. The 10 teams will have to zero in on player retention, release, and other key decisions.
#1
Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who finished last in IPL 2026 under Rishabh Pant, could see an overhaul.
Earlier this year, Pant stepped down from his role before moving back to Delhi Capitals (DC) as part of the trade.
Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh are now the frontrunners to lead LSG.
However, LSG also have the lower-middle-order muddle to solve. They need finishers big-time.
#2
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders' captaincy role is also vacant after Ajinkya Rahane retired from all forms of cricket.
The franchise already has an option in the form of vice-captain Rinku Singh.
However, reports also suggested KKR's potential move to trade in all-rounder Hardik Pandya. If the trade goes ahead, Hardik will be the ideal candidate to lead the Knight Riders.
They also need to address the finishing role, which currently relies heavily on Rinku.
#3
Mumbai Indians
The speculations surrounding Hardik's exit from Mumbai Indians (MI) fueled the trade rumors.
If that happens, MI can pass on the baton to Suryakumar Yadav, who led India to the T20 World Cup title. Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah are the other options, though that is unlikely.
The five-time champions also need high-quality spinners and backups for their injury-prone fast bowlers.