Former India player Aakash Chopra has named Mayank Yadav as one of the players the LSG should release ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. While talking about Mayank’s potential, he added that he was retained for a massive amount.
LSG got only 12 points from 14 games in IPL 2025 and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Mayank, who was retained for ₹11 crore before the mega auction, played only two games in the IPL 2025, picking up two wickets at an economy rate of 12.50 as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “You should release Mayank Yadav because he has played only six matches in two years. He is extremely promising, but a lot of money is parked there. You can understand why it’s parked, but if he is not going to play, you have to move somewhere else. Ravi Bishnoi – a lot of money is parked there, but towards the end of the season, you couldn’t even make a place for him in the XI. So you will have to release him.”

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Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra also urged the LSG to release Akash Deep, who was acquired for ₹8 crore, saying that the relatively inexperienced Akash Singh performed better than the seamer in IPL 2025 as well.

“You played such a massive punt on Akash Deep, but Akash Singh has bowled better than Akash Deep. Akash is a good name, but it’s not necessary that Akash always works like Akashteer. So Akash Deep will have to be released. David Miller is one more player you will have to release. Again, a very expensive player, but how many overseas batters do you need? You have kept two or three openers, and Nicholas Pooran with them. It is very nice, but you will not be able to manage with more overseas than that because you will play an overseas bowler as well. So let Miller go as well,” Aakash Chopra concluded.