ipl auction 2026

IPL 2026 Mini-Auction Shockwaves: Record Buys, Smart Bets & Bold Team Moves

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IPL Big money. Big risks. Bigger surprises.

The IPL 2026 mini-auction has officially wrapped up, and it has already started reshaping
the narrative for the next season. From record-breaking overseas deals to bold
investments in uncapped Indian talent, franchises made clear statements about how they want to play IPL 2026.
Here’s a quick, clear, and powerful roundup of everything that matters.

🗓️ Auction Day Snapshot

The one-day IPL 2026 mini-auction took place on 16 December 2025 at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, beginning at 2:30 PM IST. All 10 franchises competed for 77 available slots, including 31 overseas players, selected from a final pool of around 350 shortlisted names.

Each team entered the auction with a standard purse of nearly ₹151 crore, pushing the total buying power across franchises to approximately ₹237 crore.
Kolkata Knight Riders came in with the strongest purse (₹64+ crore), while Mumbai Indians, limited to just ₹2.75 crore, had to play it safe and smart.

💰 Record Deals That Turned Heads

The biggest headline of the night belonged to Cameron Green. The Australian all-rounder became the costliest buy, joining KKR for ₹25.20 crore, one of the highest prices ever paid for an overseas IPL player.

Chennai Super Kings surprised many by backing raw Indian talent. Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma went for around ₹14.20 crore each, becoming the most expensive uncapped Indian players in auction history.

In total, franchises spent roughly ₹215–216 crore on all 77 players:

  • 29 overseas players earned over ₹128 crore

  • 48 Indian players shared around ₹87 crore, with strong focus on uncapped prospects

🧠 Clear Strategy, Clear Intent

This mini-auction was less about rebuilding and more about precision squad tuning. Teams targeted specific gaps—death bowlers, pace all-rounders, finishers, and wicketkeeper-batters.

Big-purse teams like KKR and CSK went all-in on impact players, while budget-tight sides like Mumbai Indians focused on value picks and role-specific signings.

The biggest trend?
👉 Multi-skill cricketers who can bat, bowl, and adapt to modern T20 demands.

🚀 What Happens Next?

With the auction done, attention now shifts to the post-auction trade window, where teams will fine-tune combinations before IPL 2026 begins.

One thing is clear:
The IPL 2026 storylines have already begun — and the auction has set the tone.

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Big Money, Bigger Moves: IPL Auction 2026 Sets the Stage for a New Power Shift

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IPL Auction

The IPL auction 2026 kicked off on December 16, 2025, at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, and it didn’t take long for drama to unfold. With 369 players, 77 available slots, and a combined purse of ₹237.55 crore, franchises came prepared with clear strategies — and deep pockets.

From explosive all-rounders to high-value pace options, the auction quickly turned into a battle of planning versus pressure.

💰 Cameron Green Steals the Spotlight

The biggest moment of the day belonged to Cameron Green. The Australian all-rounder attracted fierce bidding before Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) sealed the deal at a massive ₹25.20 crore — the highest bid so far.

The move clearly showed one thing:
👉 Versatile overseas all-rounders remain gold in the IPL, even with strict salary caps.

Teams heavily targeted pace-bowling all-rounders, a category in short supply this season.

🧠 Team Purses Reveal Clear Game Plans

KKR entered the auction with the largest purse — ₹64.30 crore — and 13 slots to fill. With Andre Russell exiting, their focus shifted to rebuilding the top order and adding multi-skill players.

  • CSK followed with ₹43.40 crore, aiming for experience and balance

  • Mumbai Indians, with just ₹2.75 crore, played it safe, focusing on uncapped Indian talent

  • Other purses:

    • SRH: ₹25.50 crore

    • LSG: ₹22.95 crore

    • DC: ₹21.80 crore

Every bid reflected long-term thinking rather than impulsive buys.

🔥 Players Who Triggered Bidding Wars

Several names kept auction rooms buzzing:

  • Venkatesh Iyer and Liam Livingstone sparked intense competition for their all-round abilities

  • Jason Holder attracted franchises seeking leadership and experience

  • Quinton de Kock saw steady demand as a reliable keeper-batter

Among Indian players, Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan gained renewed attention, with Sarfaraz’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy form boosting his value. Uncapped pacer Ashok Sharma emerged as a smart budget pick.

On the bowling front, Matheesha Pathirana and Jacob Duffy remained hot commodities.

⏱️ Fast Pace, Smart Choices

Conducted by Mallika Sagar from 2:30 PM IST, the auction moved swiftly into accelerated rounds by evening. Early unsold names like Jake Fraser-McGurk set a cautious tone, but as purses shrank, bidding intensity only increased.

One thing was clear — this auction wasn’t about rebuilding, it was about perfecting the final pieces

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IPL 2026 Mini Auction: Big Money, Bold Moves & One Night That Changes Everything

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IPL 2026 Mini Auction: Big Money, Bold Moves & One Night That Changes Everything

“One Auction. One Night. One Mistake Can Cost a Season.”

The IPL 2026 Mini Auction is all set to ignite excitement on December 16, 2025, at the iconic Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, starting 2:30 PM IST. This high-stakes, one-day event could redefine team strategies and fan expectations for the upcoming season.

Out of 1,390 registered players, only 350 have been shortlisted, including 240 Indian and 110 overseas players. With 77 slots to be filled and a massive ₹237.55 crore total purse, franchises are ready for intense bidding wars.

Auction Rules You Must Know

Each IPL team begins with a ₹151 crore base budget, but smart retentions and trades have reshaped the battlefield.

  • Kolkata Knight Riders lead the table with ₹64.3 crore and 13 slots, including six overseas spots

  • Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, are nearly maxed out with only ₹2.75 crore left

Key rules include:

  • One Right-to-Match (RTM) card per team

  • Two-part salary system (auction price + ₹7.5 lakh per match)

  • Trades allowed until one week before auction day

  • Squad size: 18–25 players, max 8 overseas

Fans can catch the action live on Star Sports, JioCinema, and the IPL YouTube channel.

Team Needs & Smart Strategies

  • Chennai Super Kings (₹43.4 crore, 9 slots) are hunting quality all-rounders, especially after the surprise Sanju Samson trade

  • Punjab Kings (₹11.50 crore, 4 slots) need clever buys—spinners and a game-changing overseas player

  • Rajasthan Royals (₹16.05 crore) have room to rebuild, with strong trade buzz around Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran

Recent trade headlines include Shardul Thakur & Sherfane Rutherford to MI, and Arjun Tendulkar joining LSG, adding extra drama before the hammer falls.

Big Names, Bigger Bids

All eyes are on Cameron Green, who could cross ₹25 crore, making him the auction’s hottest property. Other buzzing names include Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith, and Ravi Bishnoi.

With 40 players priced at ₹2 crore base, expect fierce battles for uncapped Indian talents and proven international stars.

Complete breakdown of capped and uncapped players 

 Sr. No Capped/Uncapped players No. of players
1 Capped Indians 16
2 Capped Overseas 96
3 Uncapped Indian 224
4 Uncapped overseas 14
   Total 350

A full list of players as per their base price.

 Sr. No Reserve Price No. of players
1 200 40
2 150 9
3 125 4
4 100 17
5 75 42
6 50 4
7 40 7
8 30 227
  Total 350

Note: Prices in lakhs.

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