IPL 2026 mini-auction: Venkatesh Iyer, Cameron Green, Rachin Ravindra among top players with a base price of Rs 2 crore

The mini-auction for IPL 2026 promises to kindle excitement on 16th of December, in Abu Dhabi, where the franchises will be setting up their squads for the upcoming edition. Unlike the mega auctions, it is more of a one-day affair with teams looking to fill important slots across the field.

Venkatesh Iyer Makes a return to Auction Pool

Venkatesh Iyer, previously the fittest Holder by Kolkata Knight Riders for the whopping Rs 23.75 crore, exited the limelight as he himself projects himself at a base price of Rs 2 crore. The only other Indian in this slot is Ravi Bishnoi, making them the most valuable local platers for the mini-auction.

Top International Players at the 2-Crore Base Price

Reportedly, over 40 players are up for auction bidding at a maximum base price of Rs 2 crore. Some of the key international names are:

• Australia: Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Ashton Agar, Ben Cutting
• New Zealand: Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson
• South Africa: Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, David Miller
• Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Patharana
• England: Livingstone, Curran, Tymal Mills
• Afghanistan: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen Ul Haq
• Bangladesh: Mustafizur Rahman
• West Indies: Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph

It is likely that the final list will be completed very much underway in India's notorious IPL action by late 2025 with its mammoth scale of 1,355 players enlisted featuring 1,062 Indians and 293 overseas stars.

This state-issued auction technically entails a generous purse and a keen bidding strategy with further emphasis on impactful aspect of buying that befits their true categories.

In the 2026 purse league, 173 players have been retained, which also include 49 overseas players. With budgets very often guiding teams to their own bidding strategies, each franchise can have a collective maxi-mum squad size of 25 players. After these retentions, a total number of 8 slots, including 2 overseas players, now need to be filled in.

The highest bidder on the day as we speak holds 13 spots to be filled, with each player beginning at 2 crore Indian rupees. They will enter the auction with a sum of 64.3 crore Indian rupees, with an overseas quota of six.

Chennai Super Kings are trailing with a sum of 43.4 crore.

With different withdrawals put in place, different teams of the rest of leagues need to make use of their major share of opportunities in this mini-auction.

IPL 2026 is really a threatening possibility across 77 slots combined with a total purse of ₹237.55 crore as different franchises throw everything to find the best talent.

Why A Mini-Auction Would Be Decisive

The IPL mini-auction serves as an opportunity for available players to land back in high-order leagues across franchises in order to enhance their team with depth in materials, thereby establishing a fine combination between the limit of Indian and star foreign players. Subsequently, a couple of players, such as Venkatesh Iyer. Cameron Green, or Rachin Ravindra, are expected to be forthcoming in prelude to virus aplenty in IPL 2026.