Melbourne Renegades — Squad, Results & BBL 2026-27

Melbourne Renegades in BBL|16

The Renegades missed the finals last season, and the new campaign starts with the biggest stage the BBL has ever given an opener: a home game in Chennai, against the champions, on the first day of the season. Jonny Bairstow, signed from England, and New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell are the headline arrivals, alongside fast bowler Jason Behrendorff from Perth.

The batting has genuine power at the top. Jake Fraser-McGurk is one of the most feared young hitters in the game, Josh Brown has made a habit of fast starts, and Bairstow adds experience that the Renegades' top order has lacked. Will Sutherland's all-round game and the new-ball bowling of Behrendorff and Brendan Doggett give the side balance — if the top order fires, this is a team that can beat anyone.

Luke Ronchi coaches the side. The Renegades split their home matches between the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Junction Oval, with the Chennai opener counting as a home game, and finish the league stage at the MCG in the Melbourne derby against the Stars on Saturday 16 January.

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Melbourne Renegades squad — announced players so far

The full BBL|16 squad has not been announced, so there is no final squad list to publish. The players below are the announced contracted players — the names confirmed so far, not the finished squad. The list will be updated as the club confirms more signings.

Announced contracted players as of 31 October 2026. The list is not the final squad — clubs can carry up to 18 players and are still adding names. Captain for BBL|16: TBC. Head coach: Luke Ronchi.

Melbourne Renegades fixtures — all ten league matches

First match: Match 1, Saturday 12 December 2026, 2:40 PM IST (2:10 PM PKT), against Perth Scorchers at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Ten league matches, five at home and five away, from December to 17 January. Times are in India Standard Time (IST); Pakistan time is 30 minutes behind IST.

Fixtures verified against the full BBL|16 schedule announced by Cricket Australia on 14 July 2026. Finals venues and times are TBC and depend on the standings.

What qualification needs

Eight teams play ten league matches each. A win is worth 2 points and a no result is worth 1 point. The top four qualify for the finals, and net run rate decides places when teams are level on points.

Last season is the guide to the cut. Perth Scorchers topped the table with 14 points from seven wins, Sydney Sixers and Hobart Hurricanes took the next two places with 13, and Melbourne Stars took the last finals place with 12 points from six wins. Six wins, in other words, is the realistic minimum — and seven wins all but guarantees a top-two place and a Qualifier, with its second chance at the final.

The finals are: the Qualifier on Tuesday 19 January (1st vs 2nd, winner straight to the final), the Knockout on Wednesday 20 January (3rd vs 4th), the Challenger on Saturday 23 January (Qualifier loser vs Knockout winner) and the final on Tuesday 26 January 2027, Australia Day, with a reserve day available. Finals venues and start times are TBC.

What to watch

Three things decide whether the Renegades return to the finals.

The Chennai opener. A home game 8,000 kilometres from home, against the champions, in front of a new audience. A win would set the tone for the whole season; a heavy defeat would ask early questions of a new-look side.

Fraser-McGurk and Bairstow. The Renegades' season rests on their top order. Fraser-McGurk can win a match in the powerplay on his own; Bairstow has done it for a decade. Together they are the most dangerous opening pair in the league on paper.

The derby double. The Renegades meet the Stars twice — 4 January at the MCG and 16 January at the MCG again, in the last league match of their season. Derby form has a habit of deciding Melbourne's finals places.