Releasing players is quite common in the Indian Premier League, but some of the decisions can turn out to be quite expensive. Squad changes are required because of auctions, form and availability but releasing some of the big names might hurt in the long run. Kolkata Knight Riders have been quite successful in IPL history with three titles under their belt but some of their releasing decisions have been heavily criticized. Take a look at five such players whose releasing decision turned out to be a blunder for KKR: Top 5 Players KKR Regret Releasing in IPL History 5. Pat Cummins Pat Cummins was an integral part of the KKR bowling unit until the 2022 season but missed the IPL 2023 season due to national commitments. Because of which the team had to release him before the auctions began. He later went on to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2024 and was bought by the team for 20.50 crore and was also made captain of the SRH side. The Australian all-rounder took his side to the finals where SRH lost the final against the Kolkata Knight Riders and this decision of KKR releasing him was quite a controversial one. Also Read | 5 IPL Stars Who Went Unsold Once but Became Match-Winners 4. Mitchell Starc Mitchell Starc is arguably the scariest bowler going around in world cricket. After a break from IPL for some time, he came back into the league in 2024 and was bought by KKR for 24.75 crore becoming the then highest-paid player in the league. Starc was pivotal for KKR's IPL 2024 campaign as they lifted the trophy that season. The franchise later decided to release him after the tournament and currently represents the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026. 3. Suryakumar Yadav Although he is currently one of the leading T20 batters in the country, Suryakumar Yadav's journey with KKR did not have a bright ending. He represented the franchise from 2014 to 2017 and his time there did suggest the kind of player he could be. KKR released him and he then returned to Mumbai Indians in 2018 where he has since become a crucial match-winner for MI and India, so his growth after leaving KKR just goes to show what a huge mistake KKR made. Also Read | Top 5 Batters Who Played Most Dot Balls in IPL 2. Shubman Gill Shubman Gill started his IPL career with KKR where he represented them from 2018 to 2021 and was a consistent figure for them in the middle order as he showed potential to become a top opener. Gill was snapped up by new entrants Gujarat Titans at the 2022 IPL mega auction where since then has developed into one of the premier batters in the country and is currently leading the Titans to glory and his performances in IPL and the recent international matches would suggest that it was a poor decision to release him. 1. Shreyas Iyer The man at the top of this list, Shreyas Iyer is undoubtedly KKR's most shocking and probably their worst ever release. The right-hander led KKR to a title triumph in IPL 2024, which was a huge achievement for the franchise. However, KKR made him available for auction in IPL 2025 and he was bought by Punjab Kings and made captain where he has since gone on to lead PBKS to the playoffs for the first time in a long time and to the final, demonstrating the potential he possessed.