The IPL Auction 2026 witnessed some surprising developments. There was plenty of drama, strategic spending, and a clear shift in franchise priorities as teams reshaped their squads ahead of the new season. From record-breaking overseas signings to unprecedented faith in uncapped Indian talent, this auction demonstrated how the IPL ecosystem is constantly evolving.
Cameron Green Headlines the Auction
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green emerged as the biggest player in the auction, becoming the most expensive foreign player after being bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹25.20 crore. KKR further strengthened their bowling attack by investing ₹18 crore in Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, signaling their aggressive, performance-oriented approach. Kolkata acquired Green as a replacement for Andre Russell.
Franchise show more faith in uncapped Indian players
One of the defining narratives of IPL 2026 was the surge in demand for uncapped Indian players. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) stunned the auction floor by signing Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma for ₹14.20 crore each, the highest-ever bids for uncapped players in IPL history.
The move reflects a long-term vision focused on domestic depth, sustainability, and future leadership pipelines.
Smart Buys and Tactical Investments
Several franchises opted for balance over extravagance.
- Delhi Capitals secured young pacer Auqib Nabi Dar for ₹8.40 crore, reinforcing their focus on Indian fast-bowling resources.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad picked up power-hitter Liam Livingstone for ₹13 crore, adding middle-order firepower.
- Lucknow Super Giants strengthened their wicketkeeping options with Josh Inglis (₹8.60 crore).
- Gujarat Titans brought in experience through Jason Holder (₹7 crore), while Rajasthan Royals added quality spin with Ravi Bishnoi (₹7.20 crore).
Big Names Go Unsold
In a surprising twist, several established international players went unsold, including Jonny Bairstow, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Alzarri Joseph, Michael Bracewell, and Maheesh Theekshana.
Their absence highlighted a clear market correction, with franchises prioritizing role-specific players, fitness, and value for money over reputation alone.
IPL AUCTION 2026 – LIST OF ALL SOLD PLAYERS
| Player Name | Team | Sold Price (₹ Crore) |
|---|---|---|
| Cameron Green | Kolkata Knight Riders | 25.20 |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Kolkata Knight Riders | 18.00 |
| Mustafizur Rahman | Kolkata Knight Riders | 9.20 |
| Rachin Ravindra | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2.00 |
| Finn Allen | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2.00 |
| Tim Seifert | Kolkata Knight Riders | 1.50 |
| Akash Deep | Kolkata Knight Riders | 1.00 |
| Rahul Tripathi | Kolkata Knight Riders | 0.75 |
| Tejasvi Singh | Kolkata Knight Riders | 0.30 |
| Daksh Kamra | Kolkata Knight Riders | 0.30 |
| Sarthak Ranjan | Kolkata Knight Riders | 0.30 |
| Prashant Solanki | Kolkata Knight Riders | 0.30 |
| Kartik Tyagi | Kolkata Knight Riders | 0.30 |
| Kartik Sharma | Chennai Super Kings | 14.20 |
| Prashant Veer | Chennai Super Kings | 14.20 |
| Rahul Chahar | Chennai Super Kings | 5.20 |
| Akeal Hosein | Chennai Super Kings | 2.00 |
| Matt Henry | Chennai Super Kings | 2.00 |
| Matthew Short | Chennai Super Kings | 1.50 |
| Sarfaraz Khan | Chennai Super Kings | 0.75 |
| Zakary Foulkes | Chennai Super Kings | 0.75 |
| Aman Khan | Chennai Super Kings | 0.40 |
| Auqib Nabi Dar | Delhi Capitals | 8.40 |
| Pathum Nissanka | Delhi Capitals | 4.00 |
| Kyle Jamieson | Delhi Capitals | 2.00 |
| Lungi Ngidi | Delhi Capitals | 2.00 |
| Ben Duckett | Delhi Capitals | 2.00 |
| David Miller | Delhi Capitals | 2.00 |
| Prithvi Shaw | Delhi Capitals | 0.75 |
| Sahil Parakh | Delhi Capitals | 0.30 |
| Josh Inglis | Lucknow Super Giants | 8.60 |
| Mukul Choudhary | Lucknow Super Giants | 2.60 |
| Akshat Raghuwanshi | Lucknow Super Giants | 2.20 |
| Anrich Nortje | Lucknow Super Giants | 2.00 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Lucknow Super Giants | 2.00 |
| Naman Tiwari | Lucknow Super Giants | 1.00 |
| Quinton de Kock | Mumbai Indians | 1.00 |
| Mayank Rawat | Mumbai Indians | 0.30 |
| Atharva Ankolekar | Mumbai Indians | 0.30 |
| Mohammad Izhar | Mumbai Indians | 0.30 |
| Danish Malewar | Mumbai Indians | 0.30 |
| Ben Dwarshuis | Punjab Kings | 4.40 |
| Cooper Connolly | Punjab Kings | 3.00 |
| Vishal Nishad | Punjab Kings | 0.30 |
| Pravin Dubey | Punjab Kings | 0.30 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Rajasthan Royals | 7.20 |
| Adam Milne | Rajasthan Royals | 2.40 |
| Ravi Singh | Rajasthan Royals | 0.95 |
| Sushant Mishra | Rajasthan Royals | 0.90 |
| Kuldeep Sen | Rajasthan Royals | 0.75 |
| Brijesh Sharma | Rajasthan Royals | 0.30 |
| Aman Rao Perala | Rajasthan Royals | 0.30 |
| Vignesh Puthur | Rajasthan Royals | 0.30 |
| Yash Raj Punja | Rajasthan Royals | 0.30 |
| Venkatesh Iyer | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 7.00 |
| Mangesh Yadav | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 5.20 |
| Jacob Duffy | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 2.00 |
| Jordan Cox | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 0.75 |
| Kanishk Chouhan | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 0.30 |
| Vihaan Malhotra | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 0.30 |
| Vicky Ostwal | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 0.30 |
| Satvik Deswal | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 0.30 |
| Liam Livingstone | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 13.00 |
| Jack Edwards | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 3.00 |
| Salil Arora | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 1.50 |
| Shivam Mavi | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 0.75 |
| Krains Fuletra | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 0.30 |
| Praful Hinge | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 0.30 |
| Amit Kumar | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 0.30 |
| Onkar Tarmale | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 0.30 |
| Sakib Hussain | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 0.30 |
| Shivang Kumar | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 0.30 |
