Every IPL season offers a reset, a fresh slate where reputations can be rebuilt just as quickly as they are erased. In a tournament driven by immediate impact, players who deliver are elevated just as swiftly as those who don't are pushed aside, often replaced by the next big thing.
With IPL 2026 set to begin on March 28, the tournament again provides a blank slate for players looking to script their stories of redemption.
For these players, this is not just another season, but an opportunity to once again thrust themselves into the spotlight and remind the cricketing world of their abilities as they work their way back either from injury or loss of form.
Here's a look at the players looking to make a comeback at IPL 2026.
Prithvi Shaw (Delhi Capitals)
Shaw was released by Capitals after two poor seasons in 2023 and 2024, and went unsold in the 2025 auction, which was a major setback in his career, the 26-year-old was also dropped by his domestic side, Mumbai.
The former India U19 World Cup winning captain re-enters IPL with renewed purpose. His shift to Maharashtra in domestic cricket appears to have triggered a reset, reflected in both volume and tempo of runs. In the 2025-26 domestic season, Shaw scored over 500 runs in the Ranji Trophy at an average of 62.62, including a 141-ball 222 against Chandigarh. He also scored 183 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at a 160+ strike rate.
Sarfaraz Khan (Chennai Super Kings)
After barren spells at Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals, Sarfaraz was released ahead of the 2024 season and remained unsold, sitting out of the IPL in the last two seasons.
However, true to form, the compact stroke-maker answered his critics by dominating the domestic season once again with the bat. Sarfaraz smashed 329 runs for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26 campaign, maintaining an eye-popping average of 65.20 and strike-rate of 203.8. To further make sure he wasn't overlooked for a third successive season, Sarfaraz also scored a blistering 73 from 22 balls on the morning of the auction, ultimately getting picked by CSK for Rs 75 lakh.
At CSK, he'll have to fight for his place, but batting on a Chepauk surface where spin dictates tempo, his ability to manipulate slow bowling offers the franchise some tactical flexibility. For Sarfaraz himself, this is yet another opportunity to bring his domestic dominance onto the IPL stage.
Mayank Yadav (Lucknow SuperGiants)
Few players embody the idea of redemption more starkly than Mayank Yadav. After bursting onto the scene with extreme pace in 2024, a stress fracture derailed his progress, limiting him to just two matches last season.
Following surgery in New Zealand and extensive rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, he returns with reported speeds still exceeding 150 kmph. But the conversation around him has shifted, from raw velocity to sustainable workload.
LSG have invested heavily in him, but his season will likely be defined by careful management. The question is no longer how fast he can bowl, but how long he can sustain it.
Cameron Green (Kolkata Knight Riders)
After missing out of the IPL for the entirety of last season with a back injury, Cameron Green comes into 2026 with the added pressure of being the most expensive overseas signing as Kolkata Knight Riders shelled out Rs 25.2 crore for his services.
The Aussie all-rounder comes into the tournament on the back of a strong Sheffield Shield performance where he ended his 10-month-long century drought.
For KKR, he fills a critical balancing role, with his ability to contribute in the powerplay with the bat and at the death with the ball. His comeback though is as much about durability as impact, with the talent never in doubt but questions being raised about his ability to consistently stay fit.
Umran Malik (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Once seen as India's raw pace prospect, Malik's IPL trajectory stalled due to inconsistency and limited opportunities. The Jammu & Kashmir pacer was picked up by KKR for Rs 75 lakh at the 2025 mega auction but was ruled out of the season due to an undisclosed injury.
This season, he is being repositioned as a long-term project rather than a short-burst weapon, as he makes his comeback.
Reports of improved accuracy and the addition of a slower-ball variation suggest a more rounded skill set. His role as a middle-overs enforcer will hinge more on control rather than just speed, an evolution that could redefine his T20 viability.
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Mohammed Shami (Lucknow SuperGiants)
Shami's journey into IPL 2026 is quite layered. After leading the wicket charts in 2023, an Achilles injury ruled him out entirely in 2024. His 2025 return lacked rhythm, reflected in modest returns of just 6 wickets in 9 matches and a high economy rate of 11.23.
Now at Lucknow SuperGiants, this season is being framed as a reset as he represents his home state for the first time in the IPL. Work with the BCCI medical team has reportedly restored his seam position and release consistency. More importantly, he returns with a point to prove that he remains India's premier new-ball bowler.
Leading an attack that includes emerging pace and left-arm variation, Shami's performance will be central to LSG's structure.
Jason Holder (Gujarat Titans)
Holder's return to IPL relevance carries both weight and timing. After going unsold in the last two seasons, Holder returns to the league as Gujarat Titans' marquee investment at Rs 7 crore, joining a pace attack that includes Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada.
The Windies all-rounder also returns to the tournament on the back of a record-breaking 2025 where he took 97 T20 wickets, the most ever in a calendar year, underlining both his relentless workload and effectiveness across leagues.
For Gujarat Titans, this is less of a gamble on experience and more an acquisition of the most prolific T20 wicket-taker of the past year.
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