The IPL auction in 2026 was pure chaos, in the best way possible. Every team went all in, dropping eye-watering sums to put together their dream lineups. Uncapped players, who barely anyone knew outside the hardcore fans, suddenly found themselves millionaires.
Some of the biggest names in world cricket sparked intense bidding wars, but honestly, it was the surprise deals that everyone kept talking about. Shreyas Iyyer also attended the auction with the Punjab Kings management team.
A total of 77 players were sold for a staggering 215.45 crore, with 29 overseas players involved, while 48 Indian capped and uncapped players were sold as well. A total of 292 players remained unsold, including big names such as Devon Conway, Umesh Yadav, Gerald Coetzee, Deepak Hooda, Mayank Agarwal, etc. Kartik Sharma & Prashant Veer now jointly hold the record for the most expensive uncapped player in the IPL.
Top 10 Most Expensive Players
- Cameron Green stole the show. Kolkata Knight Riders threw down a record ₹25.2 crore for the Aussie all-rounder, even though his starting price was just ₹2 crore—the 3rd Highest expensive player in IPL history.
- Matheesha Pathirana also landed at KKR for ₹18 crore. The Sri Lankan quick had teams scrambling, but KKR just wouldn’t back down they got both the top buys.
- Kartik Sharma, an uncapped Indian, grabbed headlines after Chennai Super Kings picked him up for ₹14.2 crore. His base; Only ₹30 lakh
- Prashant Veer, who also joined CSK for ₹14.2 crore. CSK clearly believes in betting big on young, unknown talent.
- Liam Livingstone made his move to Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹13 crore, bringing his signature power-hitting and handy spin to the mix.
- Mustafizur Rahman, the “Fizz” from Bangladesh, will now bowl for KKR after they bought him for ₹9.2 crore.
- Lucknow Super Giants added Josh Inglis to their squad for ₹8.6 crore, hoping the Australian wicketkeeper-batter gives them an edge.
- Delhi Capitals weren’t shy either, snapping up Auqib Dar for ₹8.4 crore—another uncapped player who went from ₹30 lakh to stardom overnight.
- Rajasthan Royals picked up Ravi Bishnoi for ₹7.2 crore, shoring up their spin attack.
- Jason Holder and Venkatesh Iyer each fetched ₹7 crore, joining the Gujarat Titans and the Royal Challengers Bangalore, respectively.
Team-wise Summary
Each IPL team followed a different strategy at the mini auction, balancing big-money signings with value picks to complete their squads.
Chennai Super Kings
CSK went bold. Two uncapped players, both getting ₹14.2 crore, plus Rahul Chahar for ₹5.2 crore. They filled out their squad with solid picks like Matt Henry, Akeal Hosein, Matthew Short, and a handful of promising names at a base price.
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR spent as if there were no tomorrow: Green for ₹25.2 crore, Pathirana for ₹18 crore, Mustafizur for ₹9.2 crore, and Tejasvi Singh for ₹3 crore. They also grabbed Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, and Akash Deep, not to mention Rahul Tripathi and four more young guns.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
SRH went big for Livingstone at ₹13 crore, brought in Jack Edwards for ₹ 3 crore, and added a mix of uncapped players at bargain prices
Delhi Capitals
DC made a splash with Auqib Dar and signed up Pathum Nissanka, Kyle Jamieson, Lungi Ngidi, Ben Duckett, and David Miller—all at ₹2 crore. Prithvi Shaw came in for just ₹75 lakh.
Lucknow Super Giants
LSG locked in Josh Inglis for ₹8.6 crore, plus newcomers Mukul Choudhary and Akshat Raghuwanshi for ₹2.6 crore and ₹2.2 crore. They also brought in Anrich Nortje and Wanindu Hasaranga for ₹2 crore each.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
RCB spent ₹7 crore on Venkatesh Iyer and ₹5.2 crore on Mangesh Yadav, then filled out their team with Jacob Duffy, Jordan Cox, and a few uncapped players.
Rajasthan Royals
RR went for Bishnoi at ₹7.2 crore, Adam Milne at ₹2.4 crore, and a few more promising names.
Gujarat Titans
GT bagged Jason Holder for ₹7 crore and filled out the squad with Tom Banton, Ashok Sharma, Luke Wood, and Prithviraj Yarra.
Punjab Kings
PBK picked Ben Dwarshuis for ₹4.4 crore and Cooper Connolly for ₹3 crore.
Mumbai Indians
MI went quiet, only adding Quinton de Kock for ₹1 crore and a few uncapped Indian players.
Surprise Buys
The biggest shockers! Definitely Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer—both uncapped, both suddenly worth ₹14.2 crore. That’s a massive vote of confidence from CSK in young Indian talent.
Auqib Dar’s jump to ₹8.4 crore was another stunner. Mangesh Yadav, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Tejasvi Singh, and Jack Edwards all punched above their weight, turning heads with their new contracts.
Key Highlights
KKR easily took the crown as the biggest spenders, signing three players for over ₹9 crore each. Their intent is clear—they’re gunning for the title. But really, this auction belonged to the uncapped Indian players. Seven of them walked away with deals worth more than ₹2 crore. Teams are putting their faith in homegrown talent more than ever. And all-rounders, Teams paid top dollar for anyone who could do a bit of everything. This year’s auction proved one thing: in the IPL, expect the unexpected.
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IPL Mini Auction 2026 Conclusion
The IPL auction in 2026 was wild—lots of drama, a few shocks, and teams all over the place with their plans. Some went for big names and old hands, but a few took bold bets on young guys barely anyone knew. Honestly, those uncapped players turned the whole thing upside down with some insane price tags. That just proves how deep Indian cricket talent runs right now, and it’s good news for young players chasing big paychecks.
You can feel the buzz for the new season. Teams picked up exactly who they needed, filling gaps and taking risks where it mattered. With these new lineups, fans are in for some seriously close contests. Now comes the hard part—getting everyone to click as a unit before the first ball is bowled. The way things look, this season could be one of the most thrilling yet, with every team hungry for the top spot.
