The IPL 2026 season is getting exciting already! The TATA IPL 2026 Player Auction is scheduled for 16 December 2025 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Out of 1,390 players who registered, 350 players have been shortlisted to go under the hammer, including 240 Indian and 110 overseas players.
Auction Date & Live Details
The auction starts on December 16, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, marking the third consecutive year IPL auction is held outside India (after Dubai 2024 and Jeddah 2025 mega auction).
Live streaming will be available on Star Sports, JioCinema, and IPL’s official YouTube channel, so fans can watch teams battle for their stars in real-time.
Players Shortlisted for IPL 2026 Auction
The final list has 112 capped players and 238 uncapped talents from 9 nations. Some high-profile names entering the auction pool:
Top Base Price ₹2 Crore Stars:
- Cameron Green, Steve Smith (Australia)
- Quinton de Kock, David Miller (South Africa)
- Venkatesh Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi (India)
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan)
- Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka)
₹1.5 Crore Players: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Spencer Johnson, Matt Henry, Matthew Short, Saqib Mahmood, and more.
₹1 Crore Players: Sarfaraz Khan, Prithvi Shaw, Deepak Hooda, Umesh Yadav, and others.
Uncapped Players: Yash Dayal, Tushar Deshpande, Mahipal Lomror, and many promising Indian youngsters.
Team Purses & Slots Available
Each team starts with ₹237.55 crore purse after retentions. Here’s the auction situation:
- Kolkata Knight Riders: ₹64.3 Cr purse, 13 slots
- Chennai Super Kings: ₹43.4 Cr, 9 slots
- Mumbai Indians: ₹2.75 Cr (lowest), 5 slots
- Punjab Kings: Retained 21 players, strong squad
Teams like MI have already made trades (Shardul Thakur, Sherfane Rutherford), while RR and GT kept maximum retentions.
Retention Highlights Before Auction
173 players retained by 10 teams (49 overseas). Key moves:
- CSK: Traded for Sanju Samson
- RR: Got Jadeja & Curran
- MI: Shardul Thakur (₹2 Cr), Sherfane Rutherford (₹2.6 Cr)
- LSG: Arjun Tendulkar (₹30 lakh)
- SRH: Devdutt Padikkal
RTM (Right to Match) rule is back with updates, giving teams a chance to match bids for released players.
What to Watch For
- Big Battles: Cameron Green, Quinton de Kock, Venkatesh Iyer likely to spark bidding wars.
- Uncapped Stars: Yash Dayal, Tushar Deshpande could be steal deals.
- Team Strategies: KKR’s massive purse vs MI’s tight budget – fireworks guaranteed!
The auction purse is ₹151 crore average per team with 77 slots (31 overseas) to fill. Expect drama, surprises, and new team lineups!
Mark your calendar for 16 December – IPL 2026 squad building begins! Who will your favorite team buy? Share in comments.
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