The IPL 2026 auction promises fireworks as all ten franchises converge on the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, with marquee names such as Cameron Green, Liam Livingstone and Ravi Bishnoi expected to dominate bidding conversations.
It will be the third consecutive IPL auction held outside India, following Dubai in 2024 and Jeddah in 2025, underlining the league’s expanding global footprint.
Big Names, Limited Supply
With just 77 roster spots available, including 31 for overseas players, franchises are set to compete fiercely for a small pool of elite talent. From an initial list of 1,355 registered players, only 359 have been shortlisted, comprising 244 Indians and 115 overseas players.
Forty players have entered the auction at the maximum base price of Rs 2 crore, with Ravi Bishnoi and Venkatesh Iyer the only Indians in that bracket.
Cameron Green Tipped To Trigger Bidding War
Australia’s pace-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green is widely expected to be the auction’s biggest attraction. In a mini-auction where quality all-rounders are scarce, demand for Green could push bids beyond Rs 25 crore, making him the centrepiece of the event.
England’s Liam Livingstone and Jamie Smith, New Zealand pacer Matt Henry, wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert, and South Africa veteran David Miller are also set to draw strong interest across the table.
Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, released by Chennai Super Kings, is another name likely to spark aggressive bidding.
KKR, CSK Armed For Rebuild; MI, Punjab Constrained
Among franchises, Kolkata Knight Riders enter the auction with the largest purse of Rs 64.30 crore and 13 available slots, while Sunrisers Hyderabad follow with 10 vacancies.
Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings, holding Rs 43.40 crore, are also expected to be active as they look to rebuild after a disappointing IPL 2025 campaign. KKR face a similar reset.
In contrast, Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings are likely to have subdued auctions, with purses of just Rs 2.75 crore and Rs 11.5 crore, respectively, leaving them little room for marquee buys.
Salary Cap Limits Overseas Earnings
Despite the anticipation of blockbuster bids, no overseas player can earn more than Rs 18 crore, regardless of the final price. Under the IPL’s maximum-fee rule, a player’s salary is capped at the lower of the highest retention slab (Rs 18 crore) or the highest price from the previous mega auction, Rs 27 crore, paid to Rishabh Pant by Lucknow Super Giants.
Uncapped Players Draw Quiet Attention
Away from the spotlight, several uncapped players have caught the eye of scouts tracking domestic competitions such as state T20 leagues and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Among them are Jammu & Kashmir seam-bowling all-rounder Auqib Nabi, Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma, Uttar Pradesh all-rounder Prashant Veer, Rajasthan wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma, and Kerala left-arm wristspinner Vignesh Puthur.
Puthur featured for Mumbai Indians last season before a shin injury curtailed his campaign.
Auction Mechanics: Fast Finish, No Safety Net
The auction will shift into an accelerated round after the first 70 players, with franchises nominating unsold players for renewed bidding. As this is a mini-auction, teams will not have access to the Right to Match (RTM) card, increasing the risk, and reward, of bold decisions.
