The IPL 2026 mini auction is currently underway at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, drawing massive attention as franchises battle it out to strengthen their squads ahead of the upcoming season. The auction has already delivered blockbuster deals, surprise price drops, and breakout moments for uncapped players.
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green emerged as the biggest headline of the day, becoming the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history, surpassing Mitchell Starc’s previous record of Rs 24.75 crore.
Cameron Green was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs 25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas signing ever at an IPL auction.
KKR further bolstered their pace attack by acquiring Matheesha Pathirana for Rs 18 crore after an intense bidding war with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
In one of the more surprising developments:
Venkatesh Iyer, who was bought by KKR for Rs 23.75 crore last year, saw his value drop sharply.
He was picked up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for Rs 7 crore in the 2026 auction.
Three uncapped Indian players grabbed headlines with massive bids:
Auqib Nabi (Jammu & Kashmir) – sold to Delhi Capitals for Rs 8.40 crore
Prashant Veer – sold to Chennai Super Kings for Rs 14.20 crore
Kartik Sharma – sold to Chennai Super Kings for Rs 14.20 crore
Their signings underline franchises’ growing focus on emerging domestic talent.
David Miller – sold to Delhi Capitals for Rs 2 crore (base price)
Devon Conway – Unsold
Cameron Green – sold to KKR for Rs 25.20 crore
Gus Atkinson – unsold
Wiaan Mulder – unsold
Wanindu Hasaranga – sold to LSG for Rs 2 crore
Venkatesh Iyer – sold to RCB for Rs 7 crore
Deepak Hooda – unsold
KS Bharat – unsold
Quinton de Kock – sold to Mumbai Indians for Rs 1 crore
Rahmanullah Gurbaz – unsold
Jonny Bairstow – unsold
Jamie Smith – unsold
Ben Duckett – sold to Delhi Capitals for Rs 2 crore
Finn Allen – sold to KKR for Rs 2 crore
Anrich Nortje – sold to LSG for Rs 2 crore
Matheesha Pathirana – sold to KKR for Rs 18 crore
Gerald Coetzee – unsold
Jacob Duffy – sold to RCB for Rs 2 crore
Spencer Johnson – unsold
Fazalhaq Farooqi – unsold
Ravi Bishnoi – sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 7.20 crore
Maheesh Theekshana – unsold
Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman – unsold
Akeal Hosein – sold to CSK for Rs 2 crore
All players unsold:
Atharva Taide
Anmolpreet Singh
Abhinav Tejrana
Abhinav Manohar
Yash Dhull
Aarya Desai
Shivang Kumar – sold to SRH for Rs 30 lakh
Auqib Nabi – sold to DC for Rs 8.40 crore
Prashant Veer – sold to CSK for Rs 14.20 crore
(All others unsold)
Kartik Sharma – sold to CSK for Rs 14.20 crore
Mukul Choudhary – sold to LSG for Rs 2.60 crore
Tejasvi Singh – sold to KKR for Rs 3 crore
(All others unsold)
Kartik Sharma – sold to GT for Rs 90 lakh
Kartik Tyagi – sold to KKR for Rs 30 lakh
Naman Tiwari – sold to LSG for Rs 1 crore
Sushant Mishra – sold to RR for Rs 90 lakh
Yash Raj Punja – sold to RR for Rs 30 lakh
Prashant Solanki – sold to KKR for Rs 30 lakh
Vignesh Puthur – sold to RR for Rs 30 lakh
(All others unsold)
Notable buys:
Pathum Nissanka – sold to DC for Rs 4 crore
Jason Holder – sold to GT for Rs 7 crore
Mustafizur Rahman – sold to KKR for Rs 9.20 crore
Mangesh Yadav – sold to RCB for Rs 5.20 crore
Big names:
Liam Livingstone – sold to SRH for Rs 13 crore
Josh Inglis – sold to LSG for Rs 8.60 crore
Rahul Chahar – sold to CSK for Rs 5.20 crore
Key signings:
Prithvi Shaw – sold to Delhi Capitals for Rs 75 lakh
Tom Banton – sold to Gujarat Titans for Rs 2 crore
Adam Milne – sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 2.4 crore
Kyle Jamieson – sold to RCB for Rs 2 crore
The IPL 2026 mini auction has reinforced several trends:
Teams are willing to spend aggressively on elite overseas all-rounders
Uncapped Indian players are commanding record-breaking prices
Experienced internationals are increasingly going unsold, reflecting tactical squad-building
With several squads now close to completion, attention will shift to team balance, injury management, and on-field combinations ahead of IPL 2026.