IPL 2026 Mini-Auction: Top Players to Watch on December 16 in Abu Dhabi

The IPL 2026 mini-auction will be held on December 16 in Abu Dhabi with 1,355 players registered, including 45 top players with a base price of ₹2 crore. Teams are eyeing domestic stars like Venkatesh Iyer and foreign all-rounders like Cameron Green and Wanindu Hasaranga for big bids.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction is set to take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, following the release of retention lists by all 10 franchises. A total of 1,355 players have registered for the auction, including 45 players who have set a base price of ₹2 crore. Teams are now strategizing ahead of the mini-auction, and here’s a look at four players who could become the most expensive in the upcoming season.

Top Players Expected to Be Big Hits in the Auction

Cameron Green

Cameron Green has delivered exceptional performances in previous IPL seasons. After helping Mumbai Indians qualify for IPL 2023, he played as an all-rounder for RCB, scoring 707 runs at an average of 41.59 and a strike rate of 153.70. With Andre Russell retiring, Green is expected to attract huge bids in the upcoming auction.

Venkatesh Iyer

Venkatesh Iyer’s performance for KKR was decent, with 1,468 runs at an average of 29.96 and a strike rate of 137.32. He will enter the auction as one of the promising domestic players. Batting at number 3, Iyer has scored 562 runs at an average of 43.23 and a strike rate of 168.77, making him a key target for teams looking for a strong middle-order batsman.

Liam Livingstone

Liam Livingstone is a middle-order batsman who can also contribute with leg-spin bowling. After being released by RCB, he performed well in various T20 leagues worldwide, scoring 571 runs at an average of 51.9 and a strike rate of 168.9, along with 13 wickets in 16 matches. The shortage of foreign spin-bowling all-rounders could make Livingstone a high-value pick.

Wanindu Hasaranga

Wanindu Hasaranga had a modest performance with the bat in IPL 2025 but was one of Rajasthan Royals’ key bowlers, taking 11 wickets at a strike rate of 22. His all-round abilities and past IPL performances could make him a highly expensive player in the auction.

Indian Players in the Mini-Auction

Several well-known Indian players are also in the auction, including:

• Mayank Agarwal

• KS Bharat

• Rahul Chahar

• Ravi Bishnoi

• Akash Deep

• Deepak Hooda

• Venkatesh Iyer

• Sarfaraz Khan

• Shivam Mavi

• Navdeep Saini

• Chetan Sakariya

• Kuldeep Sen

• Prithvi Shaw

• Rahul Tripathi

• Sandeep Warrier

• Umesh Yadav

Among them, Ravi Bishnoi and Venkatesh Iyer have set a base price of ₹2 crore.

Foreign Players Registered

Foreign players registered for the IPL 2026 mini-auction include:

• Australia: Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Matthew Short

• England: Johnny Bairstow, Jamie Smith

• New Zealand: Rachin Ravindra

• Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana

In total, 43 foreign players have set a base price of ₹2 crore, making them top contenders for big bids in the mini-auction.