AUCTION IPL
DATA REPORT: THE TATA IPL 2026 PLAYER AUCTION
The TATA IPL 2026 Player Auction concluded on December 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This event, classified as a “mini-auction,” witnessed unprecedented financial commitments, redefining historical benchmarks for both overseas stars and uncapped Indian domestic players.
With a unified salary cap of ₹125.00 Crore per franchise, the ten teams collectively spent ₹237.55 Crore during the single-day event to finalize their 2026 squads.
1. EVENT OVERVIEW & FINANCIALS
Auction Date: December 16, 2025
Venue: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Total Player Pool: 1,390 (Registered); 369 (Shortlisted)
Total Slots Filled: 77 (across all 10 franchises)
Overseas Slots Filled: 31
Total Expenditure: ₹237.55 Crore
2. HISTORICAL RECORD BUYS
The 2026 auction set new all-time records for the highest bid in IPL history.
Rank | Player Name | Category | Purchasing Team | Auction Price | Record Set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cameron Green (AUS) | All-Rounder | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | ₹25.20 Crore | Most Expensive Player in IPL History |
2 | Matheesha Pathirana (SL) | Bowler | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | ₹18.00 Crore | Most Expensive Sri Lankan Player |
3 | Liam Livingstone (ENG) | All-Rounder | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | ₹12.96 Crore | Highest English Bid of 2026 |
4 | Mustafizur Rahman (BAN) | Bowler | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | ₹9.20 Crore | Highest Bangladeshi Bid |
5 | Josh Inglis (AUS) | Wicketkeeper | Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | ₹8.60 Crore | Top Wicketkeeper Buy |
3. THE UNCAPPED PLAYER SURGE
The defining trend of the 2026 auction was the immense valuation placed on uncapped Indian domestic talent. For the first time, two uncapped players crossed the ₹14 Crore mark, becoming joint-holders of the historical record.
Rank | Player Name | Domestic Team | Purchasing Team | Category | Final Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kartik Sharma (IND) | Rajasthan | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | Wicketkeeper | ₹14.20 Crore (Record) |
2 | Prashant Veer (IND) | Uttar Pradesh | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | All-Rounder | ₹14.20 Crore (Record) |
4. MAJOR PRE-AUCTION TRADES
Significant squad restructuring occurred through the pre-auction trade window.
Player Traded | Traded From | Traded To | Transaction Value |
|---|---|---|---|
Sanju Samson | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | ₹18.00 Crore |
Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings | Rajasthan Royals (RR) | ₹14.00 Crore |
Mohammed Shami | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | ₹10.00 Crore |
Sherfane Rutherford | Gujarat Titans | Mumbai Indians (MI) | ₹2.60 Crore |
Shardul Thakur | Lucknow Super Giants | Mumbai Indians (MI) | ₹2.00 Crore |
5. POST-AUCTION SQUAD STATUS (As of March 28, 2026)
The IPL 2026 season has officially commenced. As defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their campaign on home soil.
The IPL 2026 auction was historic. Cameron Green became the most expensive player ever at ₹25.20 crore. For the first time, uncapped Indian talents crossed ₹14 crore, showing the rising value of domestic players. Major trades added drama Sanju Samson moved to CSK for ₹18 crore, while Jadeja joined Rajasthan Royals for ₹14 crore. With 77 slots filled and ₹237.55 crore spent, this auction proved how IPL continues to grow as the world’s biggest cricket league. The new season has already started, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru defending their title.
IPL 2026 की नीलामी ऐतिहासिक रही। कैमरन ग्रीन ₹25.20 करोड़ में बिके और सबसे महंगे खिलाड़ी बने। पहली बार अनकैप्ड भारतीय खिलाड़ियों ने ₹14 करोड़ का आंकड़ा पार किया, जिससे घरेलू प्रतिभा की बढ़ती कीमत साफ दिखी। बड़े ट्रेड भी हुए — संजू सैमसन ₹18 करोड़ में CSK गए और जडेजा राजस्थान रॉयल्स से जुड़े। कुल 77 स्लॉट भरे गए और ₹237.55 करोड़ खर्च हुए। यह नीलामी साबित करती है कि IPL दुनिया की सबसे बड़ी क्रिकेट लीग बन चुकी है। नया सीज़न शुरू हो चुका है और RCB अपने खिताब का बचाव कर रही है।