IPL 2026 Each Team Best Retained Wicket-Keeper List Before Mini Auction

Explore the best retained wicket-keeper list for IPL 2026 across all 10 teams. From Rishabh Pant to Heinrich Klaasen, find out which keepers are staying, and how they shape each franchise’s strategy ahead of the Mini Auction.

One of the most unique categories of players, the wicket-keepers are someone who are always in demand, but the availability quality is always less. Every team needs at least one quality keeper, and almost equivalent backup wicket-keeper. It is a category of players where teams not only look for solid Indian options, but also Overseas options, who are all guns blazing in the T20 format.

The IPL 2025 saw each team investing heavily in wicket-keepers. In fact, the most costly player in the history of IPL, Rishabh Pant, himself is a keeper. Aside from Rishabh Pant, teams have spent heavily on other wicket keepers like Heinrich Klaasen from SRH, Nicholas Pooran from LSG, Sanju Samson from RR, Jos Buttler from GT, Phil Salt from RCB, and many more. As one can see,e almost every team has spent heavily on their primary keeper, and that shows teams do not want to risk this one category of player that is very important.

With so many options already with the teams, and the forthcoming Auction being a Mini Auction, most teams will try to retain their quality Wicket-keepers. So, which WKs will each team look to retain ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction? Well, let’s analyse the current squad, and find out the best predicted retained wicket-keeper list for all 10 Teams ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Mini Auction.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

1. MS Dhoni
2. Vansh Bedi
3. Urvil Patel

Beginning with the Chennai Super Kings team, they currently have three uncapped wicket-keepers (Yes, MS Dhoni is an uncapped player) in their side that they would like to retain. Aside from MS Dhoni, who is an uncapped player under BCCI’s new rules, the team has Vansh Bedi and Urvil Patel as potential retentions. However, the team might contemplate releasing Devon Conway, who doesn’t seem to be adding much value to the side.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Delhi Capitals (DC)

1. Abhishek Porel
2. Donovan Ferreira
3. KL Rahul
4. Tristan Stubbs (o)

The Delhi Capitals team shall retain the maximum number of wicket-keepers ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. With KL Rahul as the leading WK batter, the team shall retain Abhishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, and Donovan Ferreira. Aside from Ferreira, the other three wicket-keepers are anyway a part of the first-choice playing 11 for Delhi Capitals, and hence deserve the retention without a doubt.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Gujarat Titans (GT)

1. Anuj Rawat
2. Jos Buttler (o)

The Gujarat Titans shall retain two wicket-keepers ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. While Jos Buttler is the leading wicket-keeper in the side, and should be retained without a doubt, we should see Anuj Rawat as the backup wicket-keeper retained by the Gujarat Titans team. So, in all, two seems an ideal number for the Gujarat Titans before IPL 2026 Mini Auction.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

1. Angkrish Raghuvanshi
2. Quinton de Kock (o)
3. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (o)

Coming to Kolkata Knight Riders, the team shall retain a total of three wicket-keepers ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. While Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz are the two leading wicket-keepers in the side, we should see Angkrish Raghuvanshi donning the wicket-keeping duties next year. Angkrish has already been doing wicket-keeping for Domestic teams, and KKR will be well off if Angkrish takes up the gloves for KKR as well.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

1. Nicholas Pooran (o)
2. Rishabh Pant 

The Lucknow Super Giants team has two of the most expensive players in the side, and coincidentally, both are wicket-keepers. While Rishabh Pant is the most expensive player in the history of IPL at 27 Cr, Pooran is the second-costliest player at 21 Cr. Even as Pant struggled for form this year, he should be retained alongside Pooran, who was outstanding with his aggressive batting this year.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Mumbai Indians (MI)

1. Robin Minz
2. Ryan Rickelton (o)

The Mumbai Indians team saw Ryan Rickelton leading the team with the gloves in IPL 2025. Ryan did a brilliant job, and should get retained without a second thought. For the backup wicket-keeper, MI shall continue to invest in Robin Minz, who is yet to get a good game time in the IPL. MI would have also retained Jonny Bairstow, but temporary replacements aren’t allowed, and hence, Bairstow won’t be allowed to get retained.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Punjab Kings (PBKS)

1. Josh Inglis (o)
2. Prabsimran Singh

Coming to the Punjab Kings team, they have two quality wicket-keepers in their side that they would like to retain. Both Prabsimran Singh and Josh Inglis are Frontline players in the side, and shall be retained without a second thought. Aside from these two, PBKS currently do not have any wicket-keepers in the side from a retention perspective.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Rajasthan Royals (RR)

1. Dhruv Jurel
2. Sanju Samson (c)

The Rajasthan Royals team has a solid Wicket-keeper duo of Captain Sanju Samson and Dhurv Jurel, and they should continue to retain both these players. While there are trade rumours of Sanju Samson being traded to CSK, those worthless clickbait rumours will be buried when the retained players list is announced. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel did decent in IPL 2025, and hence should be persisted by the Rajasthan Royals.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

1. Jitesh Sharma
2. Phil Salt (o)

Similar to the Rajasthan Royals, the IPL 2026 champions, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have a solid Wicket-keeper duo that they shall retain without a second thought. While Phil Salt is a solid top-order player, Jitesh Sharma seems like his replica down the order. Both these players were instrumental in RCB’s triumph, and hence should get retained without a second thought.

IPL 2026 Best Retained Wicket-keeper List for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

1. Heinrich Klaasen (o)
2. Ishan Kishan

Finally, talking about the Sunrisers Hyderabad team, the team has the most expensive Overseas Wicket-keeper in the team, and that’s Heinrich Klaasen. Klaasen, who recently retired from International cricket, will now fully focus on the Indian Premier League. Aside from Klaasen, the SRH team will persist with Ishan Kishan even after Kishan’s below-average performance. Barring both these wicket-keepers, SRH doesn’t have any more wicket-keepers to retain.

So, that’s the best wicket-keeper list for all 10 Teams ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Mini Auction. Which batters do you think the teams will retain for sure? Please share your thoughts on ipladdafounder@gmail.com.

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