The IPL 2026 mini auction delivered high drama and record-breaking bids as franchises splurged heavily on both established stars and emerging domestic talent, with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) dominating proceedings in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
The spotlight shifted in the second half of the auction to uncapped Indian players, where Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, Uttar Pradesh all-rounder Prashant Veer, and Rajasthan wicketkeeper Kartik Sharma collectively earned ₹38.8 crore, underlining the growing demand for domestic depth in the league.
Auqib Nabi saw a stunning rise from a base price of ₹30 lakh to ₹8.40 crore as Delhi Capitals outbid Sunrisers Hyderabad. CSK then made two blockbuster moves, snapping up Prashant Veer for ₹14.20 crore and uncapped wicketkeeper Kartik Sharma for the same amount, making them joint-costliest uncapped buys in IPL auction history.
Among overseas players, Australia’s Cameron Green emerged as the biggest headline. Entering the auction as a specialist batter, Green triggered a fierce bidding war between KKR, Rajasthan Royals and CSK before KKR sealed the deal at ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player ever in IPL auctions.
South African batter David Miller was the first pick of the auction, with Delhi Capitals securing him at his base price of ₹2 crore. However, several high-profile names including Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan, Devon Conway, and Jake Fraser-McGurk surprisingly went unsold, though franchises may revisit some of them later.
In the all-rounders category, India’s Venkatesh Iyer attracted interest from four franchises before Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) acquired him for ₹7 crore, a sharp drop from the ₹23.75 crore he fetched in the previous season.
Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana was another major buy, with KKR outmuscling Lucknow Super Giants to secure him for ₹18 crore. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi joined Rajasthan Royals for ₹7.20 crore, while Quinton de Kock returned to Mumbai Indians for ₹1 crore.
With 369 players listed and 77 slots to be filled across 10 teams, franchises still have ₹237.55 crore left to spend. CSK and KKR, holding the largest purses, are expected to remain the most active as the auction continues.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
