IPL 2026 AUCTION

IPL 2026 Auction List — Top 10 Most Expensive Players & Fantasy Impact

Records broken, uncapped bets, and what each pick means for your IPL 2026 fantasy team. Updated after the mini-auction.

Last updated 16 July 2026 · final list reflects the post mini-auction squad pictures for IPL 2026.

Why the IPL 2026 auction matters more than usual

IPL 2026 isn't just another season. It comes on the back of (1) the January 2026 DFS ad ban that shifted marketing budgets toward organic content, and (2) dramatic retention windows that left multiple teams rebuilding from scratch. As a result, the auction went big — a combined ₹215.45 crore spent in the post-2025 mini-auction, with 77 squad slots filled across 10 franchises.

For fantasy players, this is an opportunity: a higher churn of players means new roles emerge overnight. The team you drafted in March 2025 is not the team you'll draft in May 2026.

Top 10 most expensive players — IPL 2026 auction

#	Player	Role	Team	Price
1	Cameron Green	All-rounder	Kolkata Knight Riders	₹25.20 crore
2	Prashant Veer	Batter	Chennai Super Kings	₹14.20 crore
3	Kartik Sharma	All-rounder	Chennai Super Kings	₹14.20 crore
4	Wanindu Hasaranga	All-rounder	RCB (rumoured)	Base Price ₹2 crore
5	Liam Livingstone	All-rounder	Various	Base Price ₹2 crore
6	Rachin Ravindra	All-rounder	Various	Base Price ₹2 crore
7	Quinton de Kock	Wicketkeeper-Batter	Various	Base Price ₹1 crore
8	Jonny Bairstow	Wicketkeeper-Batter	Various	Base Price ₹1 crore
9	Jamie Smith	Wicketkeeper-Batter	Various	Base Price ₹2 crore
10	Abhinav Manohar	Batter	Various (uncapped)	Uncapped

What each top pick means for your fantasy team

#1 — Cameron Green (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Why the team paid that much: Most expensive overseas player in IPL history. Batting all-rounder with Wankhede / Eden-sized power.

Fantasy implication: GL captain differential in Eden Gardens matches; expect 8-9 cr credits on fantasy apps.

#2 — Prashant Veer (Chennai Super Kings)

Why the team paid that much: CSK's explicit youth pivot — uncapped Indian with explosive top-order numbers in domestic 2025.

Fantasy implication: Watchlist only — uncapped cards usually start at 7 cr; price moves up after first big cameo.

#3 — Kartik Sharma (Chennai Super Kings)

Why the team paid that much: Mirror Veer — paired uncapped buy from CSK. Both indicate a multi-year bet on Indian depth.

Fantasy implication: Currently not in default IPL 2026 squads. Likely bought for impact / backup roles.

#4 — Wanindu Hasaranga (RCB (rumoured))

Why the team paid that much: Leg-spinning all-rounder; top-3 fantasy scorer in any T20 tournament he plays consistently.

Fantasy implication: Lock if RCB starts him. Powerplay wickets = exponential points.

#5 — Liam Livingstone (Various)

Why the team paid that much: Spin-bowling power-hitter — rare skillset. Has been overhyped overseas but offers ceiling.

Fantasy implication: Pair with higher-credit anchors; alone as C is risky.

#6 — Rachin Ravindra (Various)

Why the team paid that much: Bounce-back after World Cup 2023 breakout. Listed as AR — that's a tactic signal, not role change.

Fantasy implication: Set-and-forget captaincy option if he opens AND bowls overs 9-11.

#7 — Quinton de Kock (Various)

Why the team paid that much: Released by previous franchise. Cheap base price signals opportunity.

Fantasy implication: Must-have if he opens.

#8 — Jonny Bairstow (Various)

Why the team paid that much: Explosive if hot; risky on slow pitches. Differential option.

Fantasy implication: High-ceiling GL pick; avoid in SL.

#9 — Jamie Smith (Various)

Why the team paid that much: Young English keeper riding high World Cup form. Long-term bet.

Fantasy implication: Watch — likely role-rotation keeper in first IPL.

#10 — Abhinav Manohar (Various (uncapped))

Why the team paid that much: Destructive middle-order — high strike rate, big-hitting reputation from domestic 2025.

Fantasy implication: Differential pick once he gets 3+ consecutive games.

Uncapped gems — where fantasy edge usually hides

The biggest lesson from previous auctions: fantasy edge lives in the uncapped category. When CSK spent ₹14.20 crore each on Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma (both uncapped), that signals a multi-year commitment. Sleeper picks to track this season:

Abhinav Manohar — high strike rate middle order, classic differential
Rajvardhan Hangargekar — fast-bowling all-rounder with batting upside
Yash Dhull — former U19 captain, technically sound top-order anchor

How this list changes your draft strategy

Captain pool is bigger than ever. Multiple all-rounders at the top (Cameron Green, Rachin Ravindra, Liam Livingstone) means captaincy diversification is possible.
Overseas slots remain tight. With more unsold internationals looking for backup deals, team combinations may flux late in the season.
Uncapped watchlist is your GL edge. Differential picks win grand leagues — keep one uncapped underdog across the season.
Watch out for KT strategy. Don't blindly copy the top player list — instead, look at how each team chose to spend its purse.