IPL 2026 Auction: 350 Players Shortlisted, Stars Like Steve Smith and Quinton de Kock to Go Under the Hammer

IPL 2026 auction set for December 16 in Abu Dhabi. 350 players shortlisted, including Indian stars Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan, and international stars Steve Smith and Quinton de Kock. Teams prepare to bid strategically for upcoming season.

Post Published By: Karan Sharma

Updated : 9 December 2025, 5:49 PM IST

IPL 2026 Preparations Begin, Auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi (Image Source: IPL)

New Delhi: Preparations for the 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), IPL 2026, have begun. This year's auction will be held on December 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi.

According to the IPL press release, 1390 players from around the world had registered for this auction, which was later reduced to 1005 players. Of these, 350 players have been shortlisted. This includes 240 Indian and 110 foreign players.

This year's auction includes Australian star batsman Steve Smith, who went unsold in the previous mega auction. Smith's base price has been set at ₹2 crore. South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock is also on the final list, with a base price of ₹1 crore.

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Indian Players in the Auction

The initial list of players includes Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan. Both have set their base price at ₹75 lakh. Shaw has played in the IPL from 2018 to 2024 but did not find a buyer in the last auction. Sarfaraz is making a comeback to the tournament after 2021.

Foreign Players in the Auction

The auction list includes two Australian players, Cameron Green and Jake Fraser-McGurk; New Zealand and former Chennai Super Kings opener Devon Conway; and South Africa's David Miller. Their base price is ₹2 crore each.

21 players from England, 19 from Australia, 15 from South Africa, 12 from Sri Lanka, 16 from New Zealand, and 10 from Afghanistan are included in this list.

Teams' Buying Capacity and Strategy

Ten IPL franchises will participate in the auction. Each team can buy a maximum of 77 players. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have ₹64.3 crore, Chennai Super Kings have ₹43.4 crore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have ₹25.5 crore available in their purse.

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Potential High-Price Players in the Auction

Cameron Green is expected to be the most expensive player in this auction. Besides him, Steve Smith, David Miller, Quinton de Kock, and other foreign players are also expected to attract big bids.

Thus, the IPL 2026 auction will feature a fantastic mix of Indian and international stars, making the upcoming season exciting and competitive.

Stay tuned to Dynamite News for further updates.