Being set to strengthen their squads for the next season, the IPL 2026 Mini Auction is perhaps one of the most anticipated events by cricketing fans, as well as franchises. In contrast to a mega-auction, mini-auction focuses on filling small gaps left after player retention and trades, making it the truly tactical battleground for franchises, where they fight for the key players. Officially announced some date in January-February 2026, manifestation of the excitement can be felt, with all teams geared up to bid for the creme-de-la-creme talent. The auction will list both domestic and international players from top to bottom, draped in drama and strategic rivalry.
Insight into the IPL 2026 Mini Auction
The smaller auction equips the teams with the means to add players to complement those core players retained or those patched-up squads. Some players are released, allowing fresh bids to be placed on the players up for auction. Teams will go for whom they want to either work on batting requirements or need depth in bowling or want multi-skilled all-rounders. A trade window, which is of even greater importance preceding the auctions, is when players and asset trades balance out the respective squad composition.
Top Players and Their Base Prices
The auction will witness players in varied spectrums-from uncapped domestic players to the internationally renowned all-stars with high-price bases. Few major players get released to have a shot in the auction at INR 2 crore base price, including highly sought-after all-rounders and batsmen/pacers with special abilities.
IPL 2026 Mini Auction: Selected Players with Price
| Player Name | Country | Role | Base Price(Cr.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ravi Bishnoi | India | Spinner | 2 Cr |
| Venkatesh Iyer | India | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Afghanistan | Spinner | 2 Cr |
| Naveen Ul Haq | Afghanistan | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Sean Abbott | Australia | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Ashton Agar | Australia | Spin All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Jake Fraser-McGurk | Australia | Batter | 2 Cr |
| Cameron Green | Australia | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Josh Inglis | Australia | WK-Batter | 2 Cr |
| Steve Smith | Australia | Batter | 2 Cr |
| Ben Cutting | Australia | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Mustafizur Rahman | Bangladesh | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Gus Atkinson | England | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Tom Banton | England | WK-Batter | 2 Cr |
| Tom Curran | England | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Liam Dawson | England | Spin All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Ben Duckett | England | Batter | 2 Cr |
| Daniel Lawrence | England | Batter | 2 Cr |
| Liam Livingstone | England | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Tymal Mills | England | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Jamie Smith | England | WK-Batter | 2 Cr |
| Finn Allen | New Zealand | WK-Batter | 2 Cr |
| Michael Bracewell | New Zealand | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Devon Conway | New Zealand | WK-Batter | 2 Cr |
| Jacob Duffy | New Zealand | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Matt Henry | New Zealand | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Kyle Jamieson | New Zealand | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Adam Milne | New Zealand | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Daryl Mitchell | New Zealand | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| William O’Rourke | New Zealand | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Rachin Ravindra | New Zealand | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Gerald Coetzee | South Africa | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| David Miller | South Africa | Batter | 2 Cr |
| Lungi Ngidi | South Africa | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Anrich Nortje | South Africa | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Rilee Rossouw | South Africa | Batter | 2 Cr |
| Tabraiz Shamsi | South Africa | Spinner | 2 Cr |
| David Wiese | South Africa | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | Spin All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Sri Lanka | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
| Maheesh Theekshana | Sri Lanka | Spinner | 2 Cr |
| Jason Holder | West Indies | All-rounder | 2 Cr |
| Shai Hope | West Indies | WK-Batter | 2 Cr |
| Akeal Hosein | West Indies | Spinner | 2 Cr |
| Alzarri Joseph | West Indies | Pace Bowler | 2 Cr |
Teams and their Target Players
Chennai Super Kings (CSK): After the almost dismal 2025 season, their choices for pace bowling and middle-order batting improved. The choices of Maxwell and Shami could have been frustrated on account of their all-around experience.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): Foreign pacers and multi-skilled cricketers such as Kagiso Rabada and Jayden Seales would interest them to broaden their bowling force.
Delhi Capitals (DC): With a strong batting line-up, DC was on the lookout to back the finishers and provide another option in spin bowling, that is Jamie Smith and Rahul Chahar.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Being a team with a young core, KKR would look to strengthen with seasoned all-rounders and spin bowling options through bids for Ben Stokes or Cameron Green.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): SRH having a solid batting outfit would look at adding pace bowling along with a batter capable of finishing, there is Mark Wood or Sanju Samson.
Auction and Other Excitements: Updates from the Venue
Actually, the auction is going to be live, and the session could see some bidding wars erupting for Fallen Kings-of-Change ones, with fans and experts keeping a close eye on teams as to strategy behind last-minute bids from captains and management. Allegedly being a potpourri of most promising young glim stars and the seasoned ones of international cricket, the 2026 IPL mini-auction could very well turn into a towering thrill from every team battling for the perfect mix to gift them the IPL trophy.
Finally, the IPL 2026 Mini Auction stands as the window into the bright future of Indian Premier League teams as they seal their final lists. With some big names back in an auction pool and alongside some buzzing uncapped players, the competition for the best talent would mean action, strategy, and uncertainty for the cricketing world.
