The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction promises plenty of surprises as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finalises a list of 350 players for the upcoming event. After extensive discussions with franchise owners, this list has been carefully curated to include emerging talent and notable international stars. The auction is scheduled for 16 December at the iconic Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Initially, BCCI had sent franchises a preliminary list of 1,355 players and requested feedback on which players they would like to see in the auction. Based on franchise recommendations, 35 new names were added to the final list, including one major shock: South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock.
De Kock, who was absent from the preliminary list, was included after a franchise specifically recommended him. He will occupy the third slot designated for wicketkeeper-batsmen. The 33-year-old left-hander’s sudden entry comes after his recent retirement from international cricket, during which he scored a century against India in the third and final ODI at Visakhapatnam.
His base price has been set at INR 1 crore, a significant 50% reduction compared to the previous mega auction, where he was valued at INR 2 crore. His performance dip in the last season led to Kolkata Knight Riders releasing him.
Other notable new entrants include several Sri Lankan players such as Travin Mathew, Binura Fernando, Kusal Perera, and Dunith Wellalage. The BCCI confirmed to franchises via email that the auction would begin at 1 PM local time, starting with capped players in specific categories: batsmen, all-rounders, wicketkeeper-batsmen, fast bowlers, and spinners. This will be followed by the uncapped player rounds.
Notable Foreign Additions: Arab Gul (Afghanistan), Miles Hammond (England), Dan Lategan (England), Quinton de Kock (South Africa), Conor Esterhuizen (South Africa), George Linde (South Africa), Byanda Majola (South Africa), Travin Mathew (Sri Lanka), Binura Fernando (Sri Lanka), Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka), Dunith Wellalage (Sri Lanka), Akim August (West Indies).
Notable Indian Additions: Sadek Hussain, Vishnu Solanki, Sabir Khan, Brijesh Sharma, Kanishk Chauhan, Aaron George, Jikku Bright, Shrihari Nair, Madhav Bajaj, Shrivatsa Acharya, Yashraj Punja, Sahil Parakh, Roshan Waghsare, Yash Dichalkar, Ayaz Khan, Dhrumil Matkar, Naman Pushpak, Parikshit Valsangkar, Purav Agarwal, Rishabh Chauhan, Sagar Solanki, Ijaz Sawariya, Aman Shekhawat.
With a mix of experienced internationals and promising youngsters, the IPL 2026 auction is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and thrilling in recent memory.