A star-studded pool of 350 players headlines the high-stakes IPL 2026 auction
MUMBAI
The Indian Premier League on Tuesday confirmed a final shortlist of 350 players, including 240 Indians and 110 overseas cricketers, for the 2026 auction scheduled in Abu Dhabi on December 16. Among the notable inclusions is South Africa’s wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock, a late entrant to the pool after reversing his ODI retirement. He will enter the auction at a base price of ₹1 crore.
The initial registration of 1,390 players was trimmed to 1,005, before being finalised at 350 competing for 77 available slots across the 10 franchises in the league’s 19th edition.
Australia’s former captain Steve Smith, returning to the IPL fold after last appearing in 2021, is listed with a ₹2 crore base price. The first set of auction names also includes Mumbai batters Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan, each placed at a ₹75 lakh base price.
Several high-profile overseas stars feature in the top bracket at ₹2 crore, including Australia’s Cameron Green and Jake Fraser-McGurk, New Zealand’s Devon Conway, and South Africa’s David Miller. India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has also set his base price at ₹2 crore.
Among the franchises, KKR enter the auction with the largest purse of ₹64.3 crore, giving them significant room for rebuilding. Chennai Super Kings follow with ₹43.4 crore, while Sunrisers Hyderabad hold the third-largest purse at ₹25.5 crore.
With a heavily stacked roster of capped and emerging talent, the 2026 auction promises fierce bidding, strategic manoeuvring, and potential blockbuster signings as teams aim to reshape their squads for another thrilling IPL season.