The IPL 2026 mini-auction delivered high drama, surprise outcomes and aggressive spending on fresh Indian talent. While overseas stars attracted early attention, the real story unfolded with uncapped players commanding record-breaking bids and several established names going unsold.
Held in Abu Dhabi, the auction saw franchises juggle tight purses while filling 77 available slots from a pool of 369 players. Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals emerged as the most active teams as bidding intensity rose sharply through the day.
Who Were the Biggest Buys in IPL Auction 2026?
Australia’s Cameron Green stole the spotlight. Kolkata Knight Riders signed him for ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history.
Among Indians, uncapped players dominated headlines. Chennai Super Kings spent ₹28.40 crore on two uncapped names — Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma — both bought for ₹14.20 crore each. This marked a historic moment in IPL auctions.
Matheesha Pathirana also drew massive interest. KKR secured the Sri Lankan pacer for ₹18 crore, strengthening their bowling attack.
IPL Auction 2026: List of Sold and Unsold Players
IPL 2026 Auction: Sold Players
- David Miller (South Africa) – Delhi Capitals – ₹2 crore
- Cameron Green (Australia) – Kolkata Knight Riders – ₹25.20 crore
- Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) – Lucknow Super Giants – ₹2 crore
- Venkatesh Iyer (India) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru – ₹7 crore
- Quinton de Kock (South Africa) – Mumbai Indians – ₹1 crore
- Ben Duckett (England) – Delhi Capitals – ₹2 crore
- Finn Allen (New Zealand) – Kolkata Knight Riders – ₹2 crore
- Jacob Duffy (New Zealand) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru – ₹2 crore
- Matheesha Pathirana (Sri Lanka) – Kolkata Knight Riders – ₹18 crore
- Anrich Nortje (South Africa) – Lucknow Super Giants – ₹2 crore
- Ravi Bishnoi (India) – Rajasthan Royals – ₹7.20 crore
- Akeal Hosein (West Indies) – Chennai Super Kings – ₹2 crore
- Auqib Nabi Dar – Sunrisers Hyderabad – ₹8.40 crore
- Prashant Veer – Chennai Super Kings – ₹14.20 crore
- Shivang Kumar – Sunrisers Hyderabad – ₹30 lakh
- Kartik Sharma – Chennai Super Kings – ₹14.20 crore
- Mukul Choudhary – Lucknow Super Giants – ₹2.60 crore
- Tejasvi Singh – Kolkata Knight Riders – ₹3 crore
- Ashok Sharma – Gujarat Titans – ₹90 lakh
- Kartik Tyagi – Kolkata Knight Riders – ₹30 lakh
- Naman Tiwari – Lucknow Super Giants – ₹1 crore
- Sushant Mishra – Rajasthan Royals – ₹90 lakh
- Yash Raj Punja – Rajasthan Royals – ₹30 lakh
- Prashant Solanki – Kolkata Knight Riders – ₹30 lakh
- Vignesh Puthur – Rajasthan Royals – ₹30 lakh
IPL 2026 Auction: Unsold
- Jake Fraser-McGurk (Australia)
- Prithvi Shaw (India)
- Devon Conway (New Zealand)
- Sarfaraz Khan (India)
- Gus Atkinson (England)
- Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
- Liam Livingstone (England)
- Wiaan Mulder (South Africa)
- Deepak Hooda (India)
- KS Bharat (India)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan)
- Johnny Bairstow (England)
- Jamie Smith (England)
- Matt Henry (New Zealand)
- Akash Deep (India)
- Shivam Mavi (India)
- Gerard Coetzee (South Africa)
- Spencer Johnson (Australia)
- Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghanistan)
- Rahul Chahar (India)
- Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka)
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan)
- Atharva Taide
- Anmolpreet Singh
- Abhinav Tejrana
- Abhinav Manohar
- Yash Dhull
- Arya Desai
- Vijay Shankar
- Rajvardhan Hangargekar
- Mahipal Lomror
- Eden Apple Tom
- Tanush Kotian
- Kamlesh Nagarkoti
- Sanvir Singh
- Ruchit Ahir
- Vansh Bedi
- Tushar Raheja
- Raj Limbani
- Simarjeet Singh
- Akash Madhwal
- Wahidullah Zadran
- Shivam Shukla
- Karn Sharma
What Were the Key Takeaways from IPL Auction 2026?
Franchises showed strong faith in uncapped Indian talent. Teams preferred flexibility over reputation. Smart spending replaced emotional bidding in many cases.
CSK and KKR clearly planned. Their aggressive approach reshaped the auction dynamics. Meanwhile, several experienced international players now face uncertainty ahead of the season. The IPL Auction 2026 once again proved that form, fit, and timing matter more than records.
