The stage is set for the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16, where a total of 350 cricketers, including 240 Indian players, will go under the hammer. In a surprising last-minute development, South African star Quinton de Kock has been added to the final player list.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, who recently reversed his retirement from ODI cricket, has been listed with a starting price of Rs 1 crore. He is joined by Australian batsman Steve Smith, who is making a potential return to the IPL for the first time since 2021, with a base price of Rs 2 crore.
Initially, a massive pool of 1,390 players had registered for the auction. This number was first trimmed to 1,005 before the final list of 350 was confirmed. These players will now compete for 77 available slots, including 31 for overseas talent, across the ten franchises for the 19th season of the premier T20 league.
The auction will kick off with an exciting set featuring Indian batsmen Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan, who have both set their base price at Rs 75 lakh. While Shaw has been a regular face in the IPL, he went unsold in the last auction, and Sarfaraz hasn't featured in the tournament since 2021.
Several high-profile international players have set their base price at the top bracket of Rs 2 crore. This elite group includes Australian all-rounder Cameron Green and big-hitter Jake Fraser-McGurk, alongside New Zealand’s Devon Conway and South Africa’s David Miller.
Venkatesh Iyer, recently released by Kolkata Knight Riders, has also placed himself in the Rs 2 crore category. The list also shines a spotlight on rising domestic stars like Kunal Chandela and Ashok Kumar, who were top performers in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.
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Heading into the auction, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hold the largest purse with Rs 64.3 crore. They are followed by five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with Rs 43.4 crore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with the third-biggest budget of Rs 25.5 crore.
A strong contingent of 21 players from England will be available, including wicketkeeper-batsman Jamie Smith, fast bowler Gus Atkinson, powerful all-rounder Liam Livingstone, and Test opener Ben Duckett.
Cameron Green, expected to be a hot prospect, is the leading name among 19 Australian players in the auction. Other notable Aussies include Josh Inglis, Matthew Short, Cooper Connolly, and Beau Webster.
De Kock and Miller are part of a 15-player group from South Africa, which also features fast bowlers Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, and Gerald Coetzee, as well as all-rounder Wiaan Mulder.
The West Indies will be represented by nine players, with fast-bowling duo Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, along with Ackeem Auguste, Shai Hope, and Roston Chase, being key names.
A dozen players from Sri Lanka will enter the auction, with a strong spin lineup of Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, and Traveen Matthew, supported by batsmen Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Kusal Perera.
Among the 16 players from New Zealand are Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, both of whom were released by CSK and are expected to draw significant interest.
Finally, the list includes 10 players from Afghanistan, featuring prominent names like explosive opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and pacer Naveen ul Haq.
