Andhra Premier League 2026 Teams: Full Squads & Players List

The Andhra Premier League 2026 features seven franchises: Capital Amaravathi Royals, Vijayawada SunShiners, Royals of Rayalaseema, Tungabhadra Warriors, Simhadri Vizag Lions, Kakinada Kings, and Bhimavaram Bulls.

Moreover, the league brings back defending champions Tungabhadra Warriors alongside six rivals chasing the crown.

Meanwhile, each franchise retained up to five core players before the April 26, 2026 auction at Radisson Blu Resort, Visakhapatnam, where 558 cricketers competed for spots in 33 retention-protected squads.

APL 2026 Teams List At A Glance

First, here is the quick snapshot of all seven teams confirmed by the Andhra Cricket Association for the 2026 season.

Notably, two franchises carry refreshed names this year. Capital Amaravathi Royals replaces the older Amaravati Royals branding, while Vijayawada SunShiners takes over from the Vijayawada Sunrisers identity used in earlier editions.

Team-by-Team APL 2026 Squad Breakdown

Below, you will find each franchise with confirmed retained players, leadership context, and the strategic angle each squad brings into the new season. For full post-auction squads, the official ACA page remains the primary reference.

1. Tungabhadra Warriors (Defending Champions)

The Tungabhadra Warriors enter APL 2026 as defending champions after their five-wicket title win over Capital Amaravathi Royals in the 2025 final. Consequently, the franchise built their retention list around the spine of that championship squad.

Retained players: CR Gnaneshwar, M Deepak, MK Datta Reddy, Gutta Rohit, and Saurabh Kumar

Rohit’s match-winning 63 off 28 balls in the 2025 final confirmed his finisher role, and Saurabh Kumar’s left-arm spin offers the captain a control option in the middle overs.

2. Capital Amaravathi Royals

The Capital Amaravathi Royals return as one of the most balanced sides in the competition, having pushed Tungabhadra Warriors all the way in last year’s final. Therefore, the franchise locked in a mix of seamers and dependable batters.

Retained players: Karan Shinde, Bandaru Ayyappa, Yara Sandeep, S V Rahul, and SDNV Prasad

Yara Sandeep’s 53-run knock against Vijayawada SunShiners in 2025 hinted at the kind of top-order steel the Royals will lean on again. Additionally, Bandaru Ayyappa adds a death-overs pace option.

3. Vijayawada SunShiners

Few teams enter APL 2026 with a stronger batting blueprint than the Vijayawada SunShiners. Captain Ashwin Hebbar is the all-time leading run-scorer in APL history with 1,034 runs in 23 matches and finished as the top run-scorer in 2025 with 315 runs at a strike rate of 175.98.

Retained players: Ashwin Hebbar, G Sai Venkata Sumith, Zaheer Abbas, M Abhinav, and A Lalith Mohan

Furthermore, Sumith’s 4 for 29 against the Royals in 2025 shows the SunShiners are not just a one-trick batting side. Hebbar’s leadership and Abhinav’s middle-order striking provide a clear identity.

4. Bhimavaram Bulls

The Bhimavaram Bulls have built their 2026 plans around fast-bowling firepower. Hemanth Reddy’s 71 not out against Vijayawada SunShiners last season earned him a Player of the Match nod, and the team kept him at the heart of their retention call.

Retained players: Hemanth Reddy, Revanth Reddy, T V Sai Sravan, Munish Varma, and Satyanarayana Raju

In short, the Bulls combine aggressive seam bowling with a top order that scores quickly. As a result, they are likely to be one of the harder teams to chase down on a flat surface.

5. Simhadri Vizag Lions

Stability defines the Simhadri Vizag Lions. Captain Ricky Bhui brings Andhra senior-team experience, and the squad blends seasoned domestic hands with new pace options.

Retained players: Ricky Bhui, Marthala Dhanush, K Haneesh Veera Reddy, Shaik Mohammad Kamil, and Roshan Pavan Kumar

Playing at their home turf in Visakhapatnam, the Lions also enjoy the loudest crowd support of any APL franchise. That counts when a tight chase comes down to the final over.

6. Kakinada Kings

The Kakinada Kings kept faith in a mostly young retention group, banking on improvement curves rather than marquee names. However, the depth of all-rounders gives the team tactical flexibility through the middle overs.

Retained players: Pinninti Tapaswi, Golamaru Manish, Mitta Lekhaz, KP Sai Rahul, and Anjaneyulu Midde

Although the Kings missed the playoffs in 2025, several of these retained names featured in tight finishes throughout the league stage. With ₹55 lakh of fresh auction purse to spend in 2026, the franchise looked to plug pace-bowling gaps at the April auction.

7. Royals of Rayalaseema

Youth defines the Royals of Rayalaseema. The franchise retained only three players, choosing instead to build around the auction pool. At the centre sits SK Rasheed, the IPL-capped batter who continues to lead the side.

Retained players: SK Rasheed, J Saketh Ram, and S Dhruva Kumar Reddy

Fewer retentions meant more spending muscle at the auction, so expect the Royals to enter the season with the freshest-looking eleven of the seven sides.

APL 2026 Retention Snapshot

Across seven franchises, 33 players were retained ahead of the auction. Each side could retain a maximum of five, and only Royals of Rayalaseema chose to keep fewer than that quota.

APL 2026 Auction Highlights

The APL 2026 player auction produced the deepest registration pool the league has ever seen. Specifically, the headline numbers from the official ACA announcement are listed below.

Importantly, the ₹10 lakh jump in per-team purse signals how franchise spending power keeps climbing. Indeed, that extra budget is what allowed teams like Royals of Rayalaseema to retain only three players and chase fresh talent at the auction table.

APL 2026 Venues

Unlike past seasons that stayed largely inside Visakhapatnam, APL 2026 spreads matches across three host cities:

• Mangalagiri (near the Capital Region), giving fans in Vijayawada and Guntur a closer home for live cricket.
• Kadapa (Rayalaseema region), the spiritual home for Royals of Rayalaseema fixtures.
• Visakhapatnam (Dr. YSR ACA-VDCA Stadium), the traditional centrepiece for knockout matches.

Consequently, the wider venue footprint is part of the league’s stated push to grow cricket access across Andhra Pradesh.

How APL 2025 Set Up the 2026 Season

The 2025 edition produced one of the closest finals the league has seen. Tungabhadra Warriors chased 195 in just 18 overs to beat Capital Amaravathi Royals by five wickets, with Gutta Rohit’s 63 from 28 setting up the win. As a result, several retention calls in 2026 trace straight back to that final.

Standout 2025 performers such as Ashwin Hebbar (315 runs, SR 175.98), Gutta Rohit (223 runs at SR 190.60), and Maheep Kumar (263 runs) lifted the league’s national profile, and three of them are now expected names in IPL 2026 mini-auction watchlists.

Where to Watch APL 2026 Live

Just like the 2025 edition, APL 2026 is set to be broadcast on Star Sports and streamed on FanCode, with additional clips and dugout content available on the official APL website and the league’s social handles. Furthermore, fans abroad can stream selected matches via FanCode’s international subscription.

Suggested Reads:

• Baroda Premier League 2026
• Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 2026

Conclusion: Andhra Premier League 2026 Features 7 Teams

Seven franchises, 33 retained names, and a ₹55 lakh-per-team auction purse make APL 2026 the most competitive Andhra Premier League edition yet.

While Tungabhadra Warriors defend their crown, Capital Amaravathi Royals and Vijayawada SunShiners are clear early favourites to challenge them.

Meanwhile, watch the Royals of Rayalaseema closely; their bold retention strategy could flip the table.