IPL 2026 Auction: Complete Guide to Registered Players, Teams, and Record-Breaking Bids
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction, held on December 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, marks another thrilling chapter in the world's most lucrative T20 cricket league. As a mini-auction following the mega event for IPL 2025, this one focuses on filling remaining squad spots after teams retained core players. With approximately 300-359 shortlisted players from an initial registration of over 1,300, only around 77 slots are available across the 10 franchises, making competition fierce.
The total available purse across teams stands at roughly ₹120-237 crore (sources vary slightly due to ongoing bids), emphasizing strategic spending. Australian all-rounder Cameron Green emerged as the standout buy early in the proceedings, fetched by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a staggering ₹25.20 crore — making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history and the priciest buy so far in this auction.
This article provides a comprehensive overview: pre-auction retentions, the full list of registered/shortlisted players grouped by sets, live bidding highlights, the most expensive players, and team updates. All data is based on official sources and live updates as of December 16, 2025.
IPL 2026 Mini-Auction Overview
Unlike mega-auctions that reset squads (like the 2025 event), mini-auctions allow teams to retain most players and bid only on released talents or new entrants. Teams entered with limited purses, prioritizing balance in batting, bowling, all-rounders, and overseas slots (maximum 8 per squad).
Key details:
- Venue: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
- Date: December 16, 2025 (starting 2:30 PM IST)
- Auctioneer: Mallika Sagar
- Shortlisted Players: ~299-359 (240-246 Indian, 110-113 overseas)
- Slots to Fill: Up to 77
- Notable Absences: Players like Glenn Maxwell and Faf du Plessis opted out.
The auction proceeds in sets, starting with marquee capped players, then uncapped talents. Intense bidding has already seen uncapped Indian players fetch massive sums, highlighting the growing value of domestic talent.
Who is the Most Expensive Player in the IPL 2026 Auction?
As of the latest updates, Cameron Green (Australia, All-Rounder) is the most expensive player sold, acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹25.20 crore. Entering with a base price of ₹2 crore, Green's versatile skills — powerful batting, seam bowling, and athletic fielding — sparked a bidding war. This surpasses previous overseas records and ranks him among the top buys in IPL history.
Close behind:
- Matheesha Pathirana (Sri Lanka, Fast Bowler): ₹18 crore to KKR
- Kartik Sharma (India, Uncapped Wicket-Keeper) and Prashant Veer (India, Uncapped All-Rounder): Both ₹14.20 crore to Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
These bids reflect teams' hunger for impact players in a mini-auction setting.
Pre-Auction Retentions: Team Squads Before Bidding
Teams retained key players ahead of the auction. Here are the core retentions (prices approximate based on deductions):
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson (traded), Shivam Dube, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, MS Dhoni, and others. Strong batting depth with Dhoni's leadership.
Delhi Capitals (DC)
Axar Patel (captain), KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Tristan Stubbs. Spin-heavy with Starc's pace.
Gujarat Titans (GT)
Shubman Gill (captain), Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Kagiso Rabada, Sai Sudharsan. Balanced with world-class spin and pace.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana. Mystery spin core.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
Rishabh Pant (captain, record ₹27 cr from previous), Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav, Mohammed Shami (traded). Explosive batting.
Mumbai Indians (MI)
Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya (captain), Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma. Star-studded top order.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Shreyas Iyer (captain, ₹26.75 cr previous), Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marcus Stoinis. Spin dominance with Chahal.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Ravindra Jadeja (traded), Jofra Archer. All-round strength.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar. Kohli's experience anchors the side.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Pat Cummins (captain), Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, and Abhishek Sharma. Aggressive batting lineup.
Trades added spice, like Jadeja to RR and Shami to LSG.
Which Players Are in the IPL 2026 Auction? Full List of Registered/Shortlisted Players
The official auction list features players grouped into sets by role and status (capped/uncapped). Below is the comprehensive list extracted from the official PDF and cross-verified sources, with specialism and base prices.
Marquee/High Base Price Sets (Capped Players)
Set 1: Capped Batters
- Devon Conway (NZ, ₹2 cr)
- Jake Fraser-McGurk (AUS, ₹2 cr)
- Cameron Green (AUS, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹25.2 cr to KKR
- Sarfaraz Khan (IND, ₹75 lakh)
- David Miller (SA, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹2 cr to DC
- Prithvi Shaw (IND, ₹75 lakh)
Set 2: Capped All-Rounders
- Gus Atkinson (ENG, ₹2 cr)
- Wanindu Hasaranga (SL, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹2 cr to LSG
- Deepak Hooda (IND, ₹75 lakh)
- Venkatesh Iyer (IND, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹7 cr to RCB
- Liam Livingstone (ENG, ₹2 cr)
- Wiaan Mulder (SA, ₹1 cr)
- Rachin Ravindra (NZ, ₹2 cr)
Set 3: Capped Wicket-Keepers
- Finn Allen (NZ, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹2 cr to KKR
- Jonny Bairstow (ENG, ₹1 cr)
- K.S. Bharat (IND, ₹75 lakh)
- Ben Duckett (ENG, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹2 cr to DC
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG, ₹1.5 cr)
- Jamie Smith (ENG, ₹2 cr)
- Quinton de Kock (SA, ₹1 cr) — SOLD ₹1 cr to MI
**Set 4: Capped Fast Bowlers**
- Gerald Coetzee (SA, ₹2 cr)
- Akash Deep (IND, ₹1 cr)
- Jacob Duffy (NZ, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹2 cr to RCB
- Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG, ₹1 cr)
- Matt Henry (NZ, ₹2 cr)
- Spencer Johnson (AUS, ₹1.5 cr)
- Shivam Mavi (IND, ₹75 lakh)
- Anrich Nortje (SA, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹2 cr to LSG
- Matheesha Pathirana (SL, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹18 cr to KKR
Set 5: Capped Spinners
- Ravi Bishnoi (IND, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹7.2 cr to RR
- Rahul Chahar (IND, ₹1 cr)
- Akeal Hosein (WI, ₹2 cr) — SOLD ₹2 cr to CSK
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman (AFG, ₹2 cr)
- Maheesh Theekshana (SL, ₹2 cr)
Uncapped Players Sets
Set 6: Uncapped Batters
- Aarya Desai, Yash Dhull, Abhinav Manohar, Anmolpreet Singh, Atharva Taide, etc. (all ₹30 lakh)
Set 7: Uncapped All-Rounders
- Auqib Dar (SOLD ₹8.4 cr to DC), Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Tanush Kotian, Mahipal Lomror, Prashant Veer (SOLD ₹14.2 cr to CSK), Vijay Shankar, etc.
Set 8: Uncapped Wicket-Keepers
- Mukul Choudhary (SOLD ₹2.6 cr to LSG), Kartik Sharma (SOLD ₹14.2 cr to CSK), Tejasvi Singh (SOLD ₹3 cr to KKR), etc.
Set 9: Uncapped Fast Bowlers
- Raj Limbani, Akash Madhwal, Sushant Mishra (SOLD ₹90 lakh to RR), Naman Tiwari (SOLD ₹1 cr to LSG), Kartik Tyagi, etc.
Set 10: Uncapped Spinners
- Karn Sharma, Prashant Solanki, etc.
Additional capped sets include Steve Smith (AUS, ₹2 cr, unsold so far), Jason Holder (WI), Kyle Jamieson (NZ), Mustafizur Rahman (BAN), and many more overseas talents.
Notable unsold (as of now): Steve Smith, Jason Holder, Daryl Mitchell, Josh Inglis, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne.
Live Auction Updates: Sold Players and Highlights
Early bids have been sensational:
- KKR aggressive: Green (₹25.2 cr), Pathirana (₹18 cr), Finn Allen (₹2 cr)
- CSK investing in uncapped: Kartik Sharma & Prashant Veer (₹14.2 cr each)
- DC balanced: David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Dar
- LSG pace-spin mix: Hasaranga, Nortje
- RCB: Venkatesh Iyer (₹7 cr), Jacob Duffy
Remaining purses vary, with KKR and CSK still active.
Team Strategies and What to Expect Next
KKR builds around all-around depth with Green and Pathirana. CSK bets big on young Indian talent for future seasons. The auction continues with lower sets, likely seeing more uncapped surprises.
This mini-auction underscores IPL's evolution: the rising value of versatile overseas players and domestic youngsters. With bids already shattering expectations, IPL 2026 promises exciting squads.
(Data current as of December 16, 2025; auction ongoing—check official IPL sources for final results.)
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