IPL 2026: 5 Players who might be playing their last season

The IPL 2026 tournament will begin on March 26, 2026, amidst excitement and anticipation from the fans who love to see their favorite players in their favorite teams. However, there are chances that this season could bring the curtain down on the careers of several veteran cricketers in the league.

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Many of these cricketers have contributed heavily to the growth and popularity of the Indian Premier League. But with many young stars rising not only from India but from all over the world, these 5 players might play their final season in IPL 2026.

Here are the 5 players who might be playing their last season in IPL 2026:

5. David Miller

David Miller has been an excellent finisher for multiple teams in the Indian Premier League. He has played 141 games, scoring 3077 runs with a strike rate of 138.60 with one century and 13 fifties. He has played most of his career with Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans, winning the IPL title in 2022 with Titans.

He’ll be playing for Delhi Capitals this IPL 2026 and would love to have an outstanding season for his new franchise after a lull in IPL 2025 for the Lucknow team. He would like to replicate his previous IPL success by scoring 400 or more runs and possibly aiding the Delhi team in winning their maiden IPL title. His leadership qualities will aid Axar Patel in the upcoming IPL season as well.

4. Ishant Sharma

Ace India pacer Ishant Sharma has been retained by Gujarat Titans for the IPL 2026 season. The 37-year-old pacer has taken 96 wickets in 117 IPL matches with an economy of 8.37 and best bowling of 5/12. He has played for 7 teams in the IPL and managed only four wickets for GT in IPL 2025, due to injury.

Sharma no longer plays for India, having played his final Test in 2021, ending his career with 311 wickets in 105 Tests. Ishant Sharma remains active in domestic cricket, and this possibly might be the last time Ishant plays in IPL, irrespective of his performance, given his age and the injuries he has suffered in his career.

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3. Sunil Narine

West Indies and T20 legend Sunil Narine was retained by Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2026. He has been instrumental in their 2012, 2014, and 2024 IPL wins and overall has 192 wickets in 189 IPL games at an economy of 6.79. Narine has taken 17 and 12 wickets in his last two IPL seasons.

However, at 37 years old, Narine is well and truly in the twilight of his career, and despite his 613 T20 wickets in 583 games, Narine might find himself out of IPL contention if he doesn’t perform in this IPL season. Age and form might be the two big reasons if Sunil Narine disappears from IPL after the 2026 season.

2. Ajinkya Rahane

Surprisingly, Kolkata Knight Riders have decided to continue with Ajinkya Rahane as their captain in IPL 2026, despite their 8th-spot finish in IPL 2025. Rahane had done well with the bat with 390 runs in 14 games, but the KKR team couldn’t qualify for the playoffs and performed poorly.

Rahane is 37 years old, and this might prove to be his final IPL season in case KKR doesn’t qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2026. Overall, Rahane has scored 5032 runs in 198 games with 2 centuries and 33 fifties in his IPL career. Rahane last played for India in 2023 in a Test in the West Indies but has continued in domestic cricket for Mumbai. 

1. MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni, the legendary Chennai Super Kings captain and leader, has confirmed his participation in the IPL 2026 season at the age of 44 years and 235 days. Dhoni had captained CSK from 2008 to 2015 and then from 2018 to 2023. He has guided Ruturaj Gaikwad, the new captain, since then, and his shadow has loomed over CSK in recent times.

Dhoni has struggled with his fitness and knee issues, scoring 161 and 196 runs in the last two IPL seasons, batting at no. 6 or 7 as a finisher. Overall, Dhoni has scored 5439 runs in 278 IPL games with 24 fifties and a strike rate of 137.45. But it seems that this IPL 2026 season might truly be the final one for MS Dhoni, given that the legend has not been well physically on the ground and played for nostalgia.

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