The IPL 2026 mini-auction concluded in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, with franchises finalising their squads for the upcoming season. A total of 77 players were sold for ₹215.45 crore, including top Indian and overseas talent.
Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history, bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹25.20 crore, while uncapped Indian stars Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma made record deals of ₹14.20 crore each with Chennai Super Kings.
This article covers the full IPL 2026 auction player list, base prices, country-wise distribution, top buys, final team budgets, and the latest updates related to the upcoming season.
Latest IPL 2026 Updates (21 Jan)
- IPL 2026 is expected to start on March 26 and the final could be held on May 31.
- The full schedule is not announced yet because BCCI is waiting for the Election Commission to confirm polling dates for upcoming state elections.
- As per reports, IPL 2026 may be played across 18 venues in India.
- The shortlisted IPL venues : Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Pune, Guwahati, Dharamshala, Vizag, Navi Mumbai, Raipur, Ranchi, New Chandigarh, and Thiruvananthapuram.
- RCB and Rajasthan Royals have been asked to confirm their home grounds by January 27.
- Bengaluru’s home matches are still not fully confirmed, and RCB may consider backup options like Navi Mumbai or Raipur if needed.
- Jaipur is also under doubt due to ongoing administrative issues linked to the Rajasthan Cricket Association.
- Once election dates and venue confirmations are finalized, BCCI will release the official IPL 2026 fixtures.
IPL 2026 Auction: Highlights
- The IPL 2026 Mini Auction has officially concluded with all 77 available slots filled.
- Cameron Green emerged as the headline signing, becoming the most expensive overseas player in IPL history.
- Uncapped Indian players Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma recorded historic bids, earning ₹14.20 crore each.
- Several capped stars including Steve Smith, Devon Conway, and Mayank Agarwal went unsold.
- A total of ₹215.45 crore was spent by franchises during the auction.
- All 77 slots were successfully filled, including 31 overseas players.
Top 10 Most Expensive Players – IPL 2026 Mini Auction
| Player | Category | Team | Winning Bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Green | Overseas | KKR | ₹25.20 Cr |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Overseas | KKR | ₹18.00 Cr |
| Prashant Veer | Uncapped | CSK | ₹14.20 Cr |
| Kartik Sharma | Uncapped | CSK | ₹14.20 Cr |
| Liam Livingstone | Overseas | SRH | ₹13.00 Cr |
| Mustafizur Rahman | Overseas | KKR | ₹9.20 Cr |
| Josh Inglis | Overseas | LSG | ₹8.60 Cr |
| Auqib Nabi Dar | Uncapped | DC | ₹8.40 Cr |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Capped | RR | ₹7.20 Cr |
| Venkatesh Iyer | Capped | RCB | ₹7.00 Cr |
Status Of Top Registered Players
| Player | Final Result |
|---|---|
| Cameron Green | SOLD (KKR) |
| Matheesha Pathirana | SOLD (KKR) |
| Prashant Veer | SOLD (CSK) |
| Kartik Sharma | SOLD (CSK) |
| Prithvi Shaw | SOLD (DC) |
| Sarfaraz Khan | SOLD (CSK) |
| Steve Smith | UNSOLD |
| Jake Fraser-McGurk | UNSOLD |
| Devon Conway | UNSOLD |
| Mayank Agarwal | UNSOLD |
Full List Of Cricketers Registered For IPL 2026 Auction
The registration list included all players who expressed interest, but only shortlisted names were eligible for bidding at the auction.
Out of the 1,355 registered players, 369 were shortlisted, and 77 players were ultimately sold at the IPL 2026 Mini Auction.
IPL 2026 Auction Players List
Here’s a quick look at the registration numbers:
Total Players by Category:
| Category | Final Count |
|---|---|
| Shortlisted Players | 369 |
| Players Sold | 77 |
| Unsold Players | 292 |
| Overseas Players Sold | 31 |
| Indian Players Sold | 46 |
| Total Amount Spent | ₹215.45 crore |
Note: Associate nation players are included within the Indian and overseas player counts.
Country-Wise Distribution Of Players Registered For IPL 2026 Auction
The registration list includes players from 14 countries. Australia, England, and New Zealand lead the overseas entries, while Indian players make up about 78% of the total pool.
| Country | Number of Players | Notable Names |
|---|---|---|
| India | 1,062 | Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Ravi Bishnoi |
| Australia | High representation | Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Matthew Short |
| England | Strong contingent | Jamie Smith, Jonny Bairstow, Gus Atkinson |
| New Zealand | Multiple entries | Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Devon Conway |
| South Africa | Several players | Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje |
| Sri Lanka | Key spinners | Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana |
| West Indies | All-rounders included | Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph |
| Afghanistan | Spin talent | Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq |
| Bangladesh | Experienced players | Mustafizur Rahman |
| Associate Nations | 22 | USA, Netherlands, Scotland, Zimbabwe, Malaysia |
The exact number of players for overseas countries is generally not released publicly in the full country-wise breakdown by the BCCI for the IPL auction.
The initial registration list only provides the precise numbers for the total pool, Indian players, and Associate Nations.
Base Price Slabs of Registered Players For IPL 2026 Auction
Players register with a base price, which is the minimum amount teams must bid to buy them. The IPL has six base price categories ranging from ₹20 lakh to ₹2 crore.
| Base Price | Description | Player Count |
|---|---|---|
| ₹2 crore | Top international Players, proven IPL performers | 45 (43 overseas, 2 Indian) |
| ₹1.5 crore | Experienced international players | Data to be confirmed |
| ₹1 crore | Solid international players, domestic Players | Includes Shakib Al Hasan |
| ₹75 lakh | Emerging overseas talent | Includes Adithya Ashok |
| ₹50 lakh | Young Indian players | Majority of uncapped Indians |
| ₹30 lakh | Entry-level players | Includes Virandeep Singh |
The ₹2 crore bracket is reserved for established international Players and top Indian performers.
This year, 45 players have registered at this highest base price, showing strong confidence in their market value.
Players With ₹2 Crore Base Price (Complete List)
From India (2):
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Venkatesh Iyer
From Afghanistan (2):
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Naveen Ul Haq
From Australia (7):
- Sean Abbott
- Ashton Agar
- Jake Fraser-McGurk
- Cameron Green
- Josh Inglis
- Steve Smith
- Ben Cutting
From Bangladesh (1):
- Mustafizur Rahman
From England (9):
- Gus Atkinson
- Tom Banton
- Tom Curran
- Liam Dawson
- Ben Duckett
- Daniel Lawrence
- Liam Livingstone
- Tymal Mills
- Jamie Smith
From New Zealand (9):
- Finn Allen
- Michael Bracewell
- Devon Conway
- Jacob Duffy
- Matt Henry
- Kyle Jamieson
- Adam Milne
- Daryl Mitchell
- William O’Rourke
- Rachin Ravindra
From South Africa (7):
- Gerald Coetzee
- David Miller
- Lungi Ngidi
- Anrich Nortje
- Rilee Rossouw
- Tabraiz Shamsi
- David Wiese
From Sri Lanka (3):
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Maheesh Theekshana
From West Indies (4):
- Jason Holder
- Shai Hope
- Akeal Hosein
- Alzarri Joseph
Top Cricketers Registered For IPL 2026 Auction
Several big names have entered the auction pool, offering franchises a chance to strengthen their squads.
Experienced Australian Players:
- Cameron Green: All-rounder who can bat in the top order and bowl fast
- Steve Smith: Former captain with an excellent middle-order record
- Matthew Short: Opening batter who can keep wickets
English Power-Hitters:
- Jonny Bairstow: Explosive opener and wicketkeeper
- Liam Livingstone: Big-hitting all-rounder
- Jamie Smith: Young wicketkeeper-batter gaining reputation
New Zealand All-Format Players:
- Rachin Ravindra: Left-handed batter and spinner, star of the 2023 World Cup
- Daryl Mitchell: Reliable middle-order batter
- Devon Conway: Opening batter with excellent T20 record
Indian Domestic Circuit Players:
- Prithvi Shaw: Young opener looking for a comeback
- Mayank Agarwal: Experienced opener and former captain
- Sarfaraz Khan: Middle-order batter with a strong domestic record
Spin Specialists:
- Wanindu Hasaranga: Sri Lankan leg-spinner and handy batter
- Ravi Bishnoi: Young Indian leg-spinner with IPL experience
Surprise Entry:
- Josh Inglis: Australian wicketkeeper-batter registered despite upcoming wedding plans
Notable Highlights From IPL 2026 Auction
- Most Expensive Overseas Player: Cameron Green created history at the IPL 2026 mini auction as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) signed him for ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player ever after a fierce bidding war.
- Uncapped Players Break Records: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made a bold statement by investing ₹28.40 crore in two uncapped Indian players. Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma were picked up for ₹14.20 crore each, the highest-ever amount for uncapped players in IPL history.
- Big Money for Bowling: KKR continued to dominate the auction by securing Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana for ₹18 crore, underlining the premium teams place on proven end-over specialists.
- Surprise Unsold Names: Despite strong credentials, several marquee players remained unsold, including Steve Smith, Devon Conway, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jonny Bairstow, and Jamie Smith, which turned out to be one of the biggest talking points of the auction.
- Second Chance Success: Players like Liam Livingstone and Rahul Chahar went unsold in the first round but attracted strong bids in the accelerated round, eventually fetching ₹13 crore and ₹5.20 crore respectively.
Final Team Budgets & Slots Filled
Every franchise aimed to get as close as possible to the 25-player squad limit during the IPL 2026 mini auction. Teams adjusted their strategies based on purse size, with some going hard for big names while others focused on filling gaps smartly. Kolkata Knight Riders, who entered the auction with the highest purse, were also the quickest to complete their squad after spending aggressively.
Here’s how each team finished in terms of budget usage and slots filled:
| Team | Starting Purse | Slots Filled | Remaining Purse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | ₹25.50 Cr | 10 | ₹5.45 Cr |
| Lucknow Super Giants | ₹22.95 Cr | 6 | ₹4.55 Cr |
| Punjab Kings | ₹11.50 Cr | 4 | ₹3.50 Cr |
| Rajasthan Royals | ₹16.05 Cr | 9 | ₹2.65 Cr |
| Chennai Super Kings | ₹43.40 Cr | 9 | ₹2.40 Cr |
| Gujarat Titans | ₹12.90 Cr | 5 | ₹1.95 Cr |
| Mumbai Indians | ₹2.75 Cr | 5 | ₹0.55 Cr |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | ₹64.30 Cr | 13 | ₹0.45 Cr |
| Delhi Capitals | ₹21.80 Cr | 8 | ₹0.35 Cr |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | ₹16.40 Cr | 8 | ₹0.25 Cr |
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Conclusion: 77 Players Confirmed After ₹215.45 Cr IPL 2026 Auction
The IPL 2026 Mini Auction concluded in Abu Dhabi with franchises making bold and strategic investments.
A total of 77 players were sold from a shortlisted pool of 369, with franchises spending ₹215.45 crore in total. The auction will be remembered for Cameron Green’s record-breaking deal, the rise of uncapped Indian stars, and the surprising number of high-profile unsold players.
With squads now finalised, teams shift focus toward preparation and balance as the countdown to IPL 2026 begins.
FAQs
A total of 77 players were selected to fill vacant slots across all 10 teams. This included 46 Indian players and 31 overseas players
Players cannot change their base price after the initial registration. The base price they set determines the minimum amount franchises must bid. However, if no team bids for a player at their base price, they go unsold.
Unsold players return to the general pool and can be signed as injury replacements during the season if teams need them. They can also register again for future auctions with different base prices if they choose.
Players sometimes choose lower base prices to increase their chances of getting picked. A lower starting price makes them more affordable for teams with smaller budgets and can start bidding.
Each team can field only 4 overseas players in their playing eleven for any match, even though they can have up to 8 overseas players in their full squad. This rule ensures sufficient opportunities for Indian players.
