India, Nov. 15 -- Some of the biggest decisions in an IPL season are taken long before the first ball is bowled. As franchises sit down with spreadsheets and scouting reports, familiar faces suddenly look expendable, price tags start to feel too heavy, and even fan favourites find their names creeping into release lists. This is the ruthless part of the grand tournament, where emotions are parked at the door and every player is judged on value, fitness, and future upside, not past memories.

And hence, we go team by team through the most likely candidates to be let go before the next season - from expensive overseas stars who never quite justified their fee, to Indian role-players who were picked for one plan and then buried when it chang...