David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell among 13 Aussies cut adrift by IPL clubs

Retired star David Warner’s horror week has continued on a day of sad news for Australia’s international cricket stars.

Retired star David Warner’s horror week continued after he was sent back to the Indian Premier League auction, not retained by the Delhi Capitals days after his “offer” to come out of retirement for the Test team was swatted away on every level.

He wasn’t the only Australian cut adrift, however, with Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc, who returned to the IPL in 2024 on a mega deal worth in excess of $4m and was keen to return in 2025, headed to the auction as well after a mass clean-out by franchises.

The 14 Australians released back to the pool had contracts worth close to a combined $14m. That list includes Cameron Green, who also had a $3.1m deal with Royal Challengers Bengaluru but has been sidelined by a back injury that will force him out for up to six months.

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Mitchell Starc wasn’t retained for 2025. Picture: Punit Paranjpe / AFP

Only Pat Cummins and Travis Head, who play at Sunrisers Hyderabad, were retained for the next season, with Cummins set to captain the team again. They will earn $3.66m and $1.22m respectively in 2025.

Warner had a horror IPL in 2024, battling a hand injury, making just 168 runs in eight innings before he was replaced by young dynamo Jake Fraser-McGurk, who lit up the tournament and finished as Delhi’s third leading scorer with 330 runs, off just 141 balls.

But he too is headed to the auction after the Delhi Capitals also axed coach Ricky Ponting following a disappointing tournament when they failed to make the finals.

Delhi Capitals' David Warner reacts after playing a shot during the Indian Premier League. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP)

Despite helping Kolkata Knight Riders secure the title in his first IPL in more than a decade, Starc, who after taking seven wickets in his Sheffield Shield outing at the MCG last week said he’d “heard nothing” from the franchise but wanted to return, was not retained.

Australian spin star Adam Zampa, who has regularly battled for IPL game time, was also let go.

AUSTRALIANS RELEASED BY THEIR IPL FRANCHISES

Mitchell Starc (Kolkata Knight Riders, $4.42m)

Cameron Green (Royal Challengers Bengaluru, $3.15m)

Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bengaluru, $2m)

Spencer Johnson (Gujarat Titans, $1.78m)

Marcus Stoinis (Lucknow Super Giants, $1.7m)

Tim David (Mumbai Indians, $1.53m)

Mitch Marsh (Delhi Capitals, $1.2m)

David Warner (Delhi Capitals, $1.16m)

Jhye Richardson (Delhi Capitals, $892,000)

Matthew Wade (Gujarat Titans, $446,000)

Adam Zampa (Rajasthan Royals, $270,000)

Ashton Turner (Lucknow Super Giants, $178,000)

Jason Behrendorff (Mumbai Indians, $135,000)

Nathan Ellis (Punjab Kings, $135,000)