IPL 2026 auction: What the ten teams have and who they’ll be desperate to get
Kolkata Knight Riders top the spenders with ₹64.3 crore remaining; Mumbai Indians come in at just ₹2.75 crore. The winners will be the parties that combine clear strategy with smart bidding on the day.
The BCCI has confirmed that the latest auction list includes 350 players, including top international players and a deep pool of Indian talent. Many high-value names and emerging domestic bowlers are expected to trigger bidding wars. Franchises will need to shortlist their goals regarding roster balance, slots and purse size.
Team-wise: What they have and who they’ll be chasing
Calcutta Knight Riders Check in with ₹64.3 crore and 13 slots. They need a versatile player and attacking pace in the front line to support Omran Malik. Possible targets include domestic all-rounders such as Cameron Green, Sam Curran and Sunny Sandhu. Their deep wallets allow them to bid aggressively for key players abroad and secure mid-level stability.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Auction – Shah Rukh Khan’s KKR may break the bank to target top players and forget memorable past
Chennai Super KingsWith ₹43.4 crore and 9 slots, he will be looking for a specialist death bowler and batting depth. Targets could include Liam Livingstone, David Miller and all-rounders like Wanindu Hasaranga or Mujeeb Rahman who will offer spin options. Instead of offering a fight, CSK will focus on experience and squad balance.
Sunrises Hyderabad (₹25.5 crore, 10 slots) needs finishing power and aggressive middle-order batsmen. Possible targets include Glenn Phillips, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi and overseas seamers like Josh Inglis or Gus Atkinson. SRH’s retained bowling center reduces the need to buy big pace but emphasizes the need for finishers. However, Shami’s departure brings to the fore the need for an Indian pacer like Akash Deep.Also Read: IPL Auction 2026 Player List – 350 players will go under the hammer on December 16; Venkatesh Iyer, Cameron Green and important names are in the race
Lucknow Super Giants Get it for ₹22.95 crore for 6 slots and look for spin support and a reliable middle-order all-rounder. Players like Venkatesh Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Vignesh Puthur or Kumar Kartikeya Singh may be targeted. LSG will prioritize value buys for specific roles over marquee names.
Delhi CapitalsWith ₹21.8 crore and 8 slots, he can look for death-rate options and left-handed batting depth. Jhye Richardson, Akash Deep or versatile players like Venkatesh Iyer or Daryl Mitchell can strengthen their unit. Flexible additions to complement Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav will be important.
Rajasthan Royals (₹16.05 crore, 9 slots) needs seam depth, back-up custodians and finishing batting. Targets could include foreign all-rounders like Rahul Chahar, Shivam Dube or Daniel Lawrence. They will bring together local talent and foreign experts to strengthen squad depth.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, With ₹16.4 crore and 8 slots, he will hunt left-arm pacers, spinners and explosive middle-order batsmen. Possible names include Kyle Jamieson, Ravi Bishnoi or Tom Banton. RCB will focus on mid-range offers to maintain balance around their stars.
Punjab Kings (₹11.5 crore, 4 slots) will be heavily guarded, hunting down role players: finishing batsmen like Alzarri Joseph or overseas seamers and Indian middle-order depth like Sarfaraz Khan or Shivam Mavi. Targeted bidding on marquee grabs is expected.
Gujarat TitansIt is ₹12.9 crore and has 5 slots, needs quality spinners, seamers and a backup power batting batsman. Possible targets are Maheesh Theekshana, Akash Deep or Glenn Phillips. Mid-range offers are expected.
Mumbai IndiansCapped at ₹2.75 crore for 5 slots, it will hunt for undervalued domestic talent and bargain buys. Targets could include limitless artists like Vignesh Puthur, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Rahul Tripathi or Atharva Taide. Strategic pre-auction transactions can also be investigated.
Players to watch – who will light up the bidding boards
Many names stand out in the reports and the final shortlist. At the top of the list are all-rounders and wicket-keeper bowlers: Cameron Green and other multi-format all-rounders, fast bowlers who can finish the over and wrist/spin options like Ravi Bishnoi. Domestic seamers and uncapped players who have impressed in recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches also carry strong auction value.
The five Indian bowlers marked as top candidates include Ravi Bishnoi, Akash Deep, Vignesh Puthur, Rahul Chahar and Kumar Kartikeya; Each brings a specific skill set that can change a T20 game and attract the attention of more than one franchise.
The latest BCCI-approved list of 350 players includes a mix of experienced internationals, domestic standouts and uncapped youngsters. With only 31 overseas slots available in the auction, teams need to balance the appeal of foreign stars with the need for Indian match-winners.
Teams with big purses (KKR, CSK) can increase offers for important names; mid-level purses will hunt experts and rising domestic stars; and low-budget teams (MI) need to strategize for negotiations or pre-auction proceedings. The auction will reward teams who buy for adaptability and flexibility in the role, rather than just grabbing headlines.
