IPL 2026 Mini Auction in Abu Dhabi today: Big purses, bigger expectations

The IPL 2026 mini-auction is set for December 16 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, beginning at 2:30 p.m. IST . Franchises will compete for 77 remaining slots with a total purse of ₹237.55 crore, aiming to fill key gaps and finalise squads for the new season. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lead with the largest purse of ₹64.3 crore , followed by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with ₹43.4 crore. Other teams have budgets ranging from Sunrisers Hyderabad (₹25.5 crore) to Mumbai Indians (₹2.75 crore), reflecting previous retention and releases.

Most teams have retained their core Indian players, particularly captains, top-order batters, and frontline pacers. This narrows the auction focus to premium overseas slots and specialist Indian roles.

• Chennai Super Kings

• have backed their experienced Indian core, retaining MS Dhoni (as an uncapped player), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, and several bowling options, while keeping overseas slots flexible for middle-order and all-rounder needs.

• Kolkata Knight Riders

• retained a balanced group including Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Umran Malik, and others, aiming to refresh their core while freeing purse space for marquee buys.

• Sunrisers Hyderabad

• retained Pat Cummins (captain), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse, Jaydev Unadkat, and others as they build around a solid batting and bowling core.

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

• kept a strong squad foundation, including Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jitesh Sharma, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Dar, Abhinandan Singh, and Swapnil Singh.

• Other franchises, including Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans, and Punjab Kings, also retained sizable blocks of their squads, with a mix of Indian and overseas talent. Many released high-profile players to free funds, putting those familiar names back into the auction pool.

Players Likely to Spark Bidding Wars

Several marquee players are expected to trigger intense competition in the mini-auction. Cameron Green is one of the most sought-after overseas all-rounders, previously scoring 707 runs at a strike rate of 153.7 in IPL. He has listed himself as a batter this time, making him eligible for the first, most expensive stage of bidding.

Venkatesh Iyer

, one of KKR’s high-value buys last year, combines powerful hitting with medium pace and finishing ability, ensuring he will draw attention from multiple teams. Liam Livingstone , a power-hitting England all-rounder, is also likely to see bidding wars, particularly from CSK, KKR, and LSG.

Among Indian specialists, Ravi Bishnoi is the leg-spinner in focus, while Matheesha Pathirana will attract franchises looking for fast-bowling options overseas. Emerging talent Jamie Smith offers flexibility as a wicketkeeper-batter, while experienced keepers like Quinton de Kock, Jonny Bairstow, KS Bharat, and Josh Inglis are expected to be hotly contested.

Lessons from Past Mini-Auctions

IPL mini-auctions have previously seen record-breaking buys, demonstrating that teams are willing to spend heavily for match-winners. Notable examples include:

• Mitchell Starc (KKR, ₹24.75 crore, 2024)

• - Key in KKR’s third IPL title.

• Pat Cummins (SRH, ₹20.5 crore, 2024)

• - Valuable as captain and lower-order batsman.

• Sam Curran (PBKS, ₹18.5 crore, 2023)

• - Left-arm seamer and finisher.

• Cameron Green (MI, ₹17.5 crore, 2023)

• - All-rounder with high strike rate.

• Ben Stokes (CSK, ₹16.25 crore, 2023)

• - All-rounder, though sidelined by injuries.

• Chris Morris (RR, ₹16.25 crore, 2021)

• - Tall, fast-bowling lower-order all-rounder.

These past purchases indicate that overseas all-rounders and specialized Indian players remain highly prized, and bidding can escalate quickly when multiple teams target the same player.

Auction Preview: Stakes and Strategies

With 350 players in the pool and only 77 slots available, franchises must make strategic choices balancing purse limits, overseas quotas, and squad composition. KKR and CSK, with the largest purses, are likely to dominate bidding for marquee names like Cameron Green, Liam Livingstone, and Matheesha Pathirana . Other teams will be selective, looking for value buys and role-specific players to strengthen their squads.

The mini-auction promises to be frenetic, strategic, and full of blockbuster signings, setting the tone for IPL 2026. Fans can expect bidding wars, surprising picks, and a few record-breaking buys that could shape the season before the first ball is bowled.