3 teams who should target Glenn Maxwell in IPL 2026 Auction ft. CSK

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell fell out of favor as the Punjab Kings (PBKS) released him ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. The IPL 2025 runners-up didn’t renew his contract for ₹4.2 crore.

The sharp call came after Maxwell's declining performance in the T20 league last season. The 37-year-old managed just 48 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 97.95. The part-time spinner bagged four wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of 27.50. The senior all-rounder was equally dismal for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2024 season, where he managed 52 runs (nine innings) and scalped six wickets (10 matches).

Maxwell, however, has been a seasoned player in the IPL. The right-handed batter has amassed 2819 runs in 141 matches at a strike rate of 155.14, including 18 half-centuries. With the ball, he has picked up 41 wickets in 85 innings at an economy rate of 8.29.

Overall, he has 10,848 runs and 194 wickets in 488 T20s. The swashbuckling batter recently smashed 47 and 62* against the West Indies and South Africa. He also picked up three wickets in the three-match T20I series against the Proteas in August. Thus, he can be a handy player in the middle order.

Several teams like Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR), SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), and RCB might aim to buy Maxwell at the IPL 2026 auction.

CSK

The Chennai Super Kings are known to back senior players, and they often get the best out of them in the IPL. With Maxwell likely to go for a base price at the IPL 2026 auction, the Super Kings might take the opportunity to bring him aboard. Moreover, the Super Kings are in search of a replacement for all-rounders Rachin Ravindra and Ravindra Jadeja in their playing XI.

Maxwell also bowls in the powerplay, which makes him a like-for-like replacement for Ravindra. As a result, the off-spinner could be a masterstroke for the Super Kings owing to the spin-friendly track at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. His exploits with the bat will also sort out their finishing abilities.

KKR

With the highest purse in the IPL 2026 auction, the Kolkata Knight Riders are one of the contenders who might buy Glenn Maxwell. The franchise has already let go of seasoned player Andre Russell, who they are likely to fill with Cameron Green. Unfortunately, Green hasn't bowled much over the last few months. Thus, the Knight Riders might also be looking to buy Maxwell as his backup option. Like the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Maxwell can benefit from the spin-friendly pitch at Eden Gardens.

With no Andre Russell, KKR are heavily reliant on Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh for finishing the innings. Maxwell could solve that problem.

GT

The Gujarat Titans (GT) will be looking for a proper replacement for Sherfane Rutherford, who they traded to the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The Titans have also released other overseas players like Dasun Shanaka and Karim Janat.

The Ahmedabad-based franchise could benefit from Maxwell owing to the longer boundaries. The off-spinner could spin a web for the opponents, alongside Rashid Khan, at their home venue - the Narendra Modi Stadium. With Rashid no longer at his best, Maxwell can cover up for his overs on bad days at the office. Apart from his bowling prowess, the swashbuckling batter also has the potential to clear long boundaries with his hard-hitting abilities.

Edited by James Kuanal