The Cricket IPL auction 2026 is set for December 16 in Abu Dhabi. From an initial 1,390, a final IPL auction 2026 players list of 359 stars has been locked in, featuring big names like Cameron Green, Steve Smith, and Liam Livingstone, ready for the bidding war.
Of these 359, 114 are capped internationals, 230 uncapped Indians, and 15 uncapped overseas prospects.
With a mere ₹2.75 crore in their purse, the Mumbai Indians are in a tight spot. While the Kolkata Knight Riders are sitting comfortably with a hefty ₹64.3 crore, a staggering difference in this year’s auction. This financial gap is bound to shape their strategies.
You can expect Mumbai to hunt for bargains, carefully picking underrated players who could deliver big on a budget.
Meanwhile, Kolkata, with money to spare, can chase top-tier talent and even go all-out for promising youngsters to build for the future. It all comes down to how each team leverages their wallet on auction day.
When the auction hammer falls, money can’t guarantee success. We saw that last season, pricey buys sometimes stumble, while smart, budget picks can become overnight stars. That’s the thrill and the risk of auction day.
This year’s retention strategies already reveal team priorities. Chennai Super Kings are trading Sanju Samson but releasing Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Lucknow Super Giants made a move for Shami for 10 crores. Those moves aren’t random; they’re calculated plays shaping what each franchise will target next.
So what unfolds when the bidding begins?
Which team will nail the value buys?
Who might overspend on a big name and live to regret it?
For the live stream IPL auction, eyes on Star Sports Networks and JioHotstar.
Table of Contents
Who Can Spend What?
| Team | Money Left (₹ Crore) | Empty Slots to Fill | Overseas Slots Left | The Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | 64.30 | 13 | 6 | The big spender with a giant shopping list. |
| Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 43.40 | 9 | 4 | Serious money for a few key targets. |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 25.50 | 10 | 2 | Decent budget to patch up a few holes. |
| Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | 22.95 | 6 | 4 | Enough for a couple of quality buys. |
| Delhi Capitals (DC) | 21.80 | 8 | 5 | Needs to be smart with multiple roles to fill. |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | 16.40 | 8 | 2 | The champs looking for clever backups. |
| Rajasthan Royals (RR) | 16.05 | 9 | 1 | Needs to find value, especially in Indians. |
| Gujarat Titans (GT) | 12.90 | 5 | 4 | Looking for that one perfect finisher. |
| Punjab Kings (PBKS) | 11.50 | 4 | 2 | Last year’s finalists, just tweaking the edges. |
| Mumbai Indians (MI) | 2.75 | 5 | 1 | Basically just here for the snacks. |
What Each Team Actually Needs
Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings have ₹43.40 crore burning a hole in their pocket. They kept MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and pulled off a stunner by trading Sanju Samson from Rajasthan. But they let Jadeja go to the Royals and traded Sam Curran, too. That leaves massive gaps.
They need an overseas allrounder who can bat anywhere and bowl a few overs. Cameron Green fits perfectly, but so does Liam Livingstone, who they chased hard last time. With Matheesha Pathirana released, they’re short on overseas pace. Nathan Ellis is good but needs backup.
The Jadeja’s hole is the toughest to fill. There’s literally nobody in Indian cricket who gives you left-arm spin plus explosive lower-order batting plus gun fielding. They might gamble on young talents like Prashant Veer from UP.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders have the biggest war chest, ₹64.30 crore. They kept Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Harshit Rana. But they released both wicketkeeper-openers, Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. So, they need a wicketkeeper.
They need someone who opens, keeps, and smashes bowlers from ball one. Not many players tick all three boxes. Jos Buttler can, but he’s with Gujarat, though. Quinton de Kock returning at a lower price makes sense. Or they could go young with someone like Josh Inglis.
Andre Russell retired and joined their coaching staff. That means they’re hunting for a big-hitting all-rounder. Cameron Green’s name keeps coming up; he can bowl 140+, bats in the top order. Perfect Russell replacement except he’ll cost a fortune.
Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals need openers badly after Jake Fraser-McGurk’s hit-or-miss approach frustrated them. Faf du Plessis opted out of IPL 2026 completely. So KL Rahul needs a steady partner at the top.
They’ve got Mitchell Starc and T Natarajan as main pacers, but both break down regularly. Natarajan bowled in the low 120s recently, not great for a death bowler. Starc will come into IPL 2026 after bowling his heart out in the Ashes. They need insurance.
With ₹21.80 crore, Delhi can make a couple of smart buys without going crazy.
Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans kept 20 players, including Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, and Kagiso Rabada. Pretty stacked already. But they traded Sherfane Rutherford to Mumbai, leaving a gap in the finisher’s role.
Rahul Tewatia hasn’t played cricket since IPL 2025, working back from injury. Shahrukh Khan is so out of form that Tamil Nadu dropped him from all formats. That’s brutal. GT needs middle-order muscle with ₹12.90 crore.
They might also look at spin-bowling all-rounders since Rashid’s form has been up and down lately. Michael Bracewell could be a smart pick.
Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants have ₹22.95 crore and six slots open. They pulled off blockbuster trades, getting Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Shami while trading Arjun Tendulkar to Mumbai. Not bad at all.
But they released David Miller; that’s a huge loss. Who finishes innings for them now?
Abdul Samad and Ayush Badoni are talented but inexperienced. They need a proven overseas finisher.
Bowling looks good on paper with Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, and Shami. The problem is that Avesh and Mayank are both recovering from injuries. They’ll want backup seamers.
Ravi Bishnoi’s gone too, though they have Shahbaz Ahmed and Manimaran Siddharth for spin. Still, Bishnoi’s wicket-taking ability will be missed.
Mumbai Indians
The Mumbai Indians are basically done. With ₹2.75 crore left, they can’t make big moves. They traded smartly, bringing in Shardul Thakur from LSG, Sherfane Rutherford from GT, and Mayank Markande from KKR.
Their squad has Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Trent Boult; that’s scary on paper. Maybe they’ll pick up a couple of uncapped Indians as backups and call it a day.
Punjab Kings
The runners-up of the IPL 2025 kept most of the squad intact. Twenty-one players retained means only four slots to fill with ₹11.50 crore.
Josh Inglis is out after confirming partial availability. His explosive opening was key to their success. Glenn Maxwell’s release creates another hole; who bowls those crafty off-breaks and bats in the middle order?
They already have Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai as all-rounders, but another overseas option is needed. Also, they need backup for the fast bowler, too, just in case.
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals made bold trades, sending Sanju Samson to Chennai and getting Ravindra Jadeja plus Sam Curran back. That’s aggressive.
They kept Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Jofra Archer. They maintain a solid core. But they released their wrist spinners, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and Kumar Kartikeya. That needs to fill up.
With ₹16.05 crore and nine slots, they’ll hunt for an Indian or overseas leg-spinner to partner Jadeja. Young Yash Punja from Karnataka might attract them.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
The defending champions kept Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, plus overseas stars like Josh Hazlewood and Jacob Bethell.
Liam Livingstone’s gone after they spent ₹8.75 crore on him. That middle-order power needs replacing. Hazlewood’s injured right now, so backup fast bowlers are a priority. Yash Dayal hasn’t played since the IPL 2025 final, another injury concern.
With ₹16.40 crore, they can plug these gaps without drama.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad still have Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen for destroying opponents’ bowling. Pat Cummins leads the attack. They traded Mohammed Shami to LSG, though, which weakens the pace department.
They released Adam Zampa, Wiaan Mulder, and Abhinav Manohar. That’s their spin and middle-order depth gone. With ₹25.50 crore, they’ll look for experienced spinners and death bowlers who can defend totals.
The Big Names to Watch
Cameron Green will set the auction on fire. Every team needs an all-rounder who bats top four and bowls 140 kph. KKR and CSK will go hard at him. Don’t be surprised if he crosses ₹20 crore.
Steve Smith wants one last big IPL contract. At 36, he’s still classy, but teams might hesitate given his age. Someone will gamble, though.
David Miller’s finishing ability speaks for itself. After LSG releases him, he’ll find a new home easily. GT or PBKS seem likely.
Quinton de Kock can walk into any playing XI as an opener-keeper. KKR desperately needs him. Going back to KKR at a lower price than last year makes sense for both parties.
Liam Livingstone caused a bidding war last time. RCB released him, so he’s available again. CSK tried everything to get him before. This time, they might succeed.
From the Indians, Venkatesh Iyer’s ₹2 crore base price is bold. He had one good IPL season with KKR, then faded. If he goes unsold at ₹2 crore, it’ll be embarrassing.
Prithvi Shaw is the wildcard. Once hailed as the next Sachin, he’s now struggling for form and fitness. But talent doesn’t vanish overnight. Some team will take a chance, hoping to revive his career.
What History Tells Us
The Cricket IPL auction 2026 has produced some crazy moments over the years. MS Dhoni started the madness in 2008, going for ₹9.5 crore to CSK. That was massive money back then.
Rishabh Pant broke all records last year at ₹27 crore to LSG. That’s nearly ₹2.5 lakh per minute if he plays every match. Mitchell Starc holds the overseas record at ₹24.75 crore from 2024.
Will someone topple Pant’s record? Unlikely unless bidding goes absolutely mental for Cameron Green or someone similar. But stranger things have happened at IPL auctions.
Where to Catch All the Action
Star Sports will broadcast the live stream IPL auction across its channels. JioHotstar will stream it online for those who prefer watching on phones or laptops.
Social media will explode with every big bid. Twitter (or X, whatever we’re calling it now) will trend IPL-related hashtags all day. Instagram stories will be flooded with reactions. YouTube channels will go live with expert panels discussing every pick.
Last Words
December 16 can’t come fast enough. The Cricket IPL auction 2026 has all the ingredients for drama, desperate teams, talented players, massive money, and only a few hours to get it right. Mistakes made here will haunt franchises all season.
Smart buys will look like genius moves come playoff time. That’s what makes it unmissable, every bid matters, every paddle raised changes someone’s life, and every unsold player walks away wondering what went wrong. Abu Dhabi is about to witness cricket chaos at its finest.
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My name is Krishanu Das the founder of the Sports Dribble.
I am Accountant by profession but a Sports Blogger by passion.
I am passionate about sharing my all knowledge and experiences of sports, with my readers and every sports enthusiast.