IPL Auction 2026: Big Names Go Unsold as Mini Auction Brings Major Surprises

The IPL 2026 mini auction in Abu Dhabi brought a lot of unexpected situations with the non-bidding of many international and Indian superstars which made fans and experts astonished.

New Zealand opener Rachin Ravindra, England’s hard-hitter Liam Livingstone, and Jonny Bairstow were among the players who did not get sold during the auction. Bairstow was priced at ₹1 crore while Ravindra and Livingstone at ₹2 crore each. The main reason for their unsold status is believed to be their inconsistent performances in the IPL 2025 season.

To the disbelief of many, Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz who had a base price of ₹1.50 crore also went unsold. England’s Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson both priced at ₹2 crore found no buyers. The Indian players KS Bharat, Deepak Hooda and Sarfaraz Khan, that had been very well regarded somehow did not get the spotlight, thus showing the tough competition and the high standards that the franchises set that year.

But the auction did not really lack top players. The Lucknow Super Giants made a deal with Wanindu Hasaranga for ₹2 crores. The Mumbai Indians got Quinton de Kock priced at his base of ₹1 crore while the Delhi Capitals took Ben Duckett for ₹2 crores. The Kolkata Knight Riders had already put up their bid of ₹2 crores for Finn Allen and hence he was signed.

Among the auction’s remarkable success stories was Venkatesh Iyer. The Indian all-rounder with a base price of ₹2 crores created a bidding war between RCB and KKR and finally was signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for ₹7 crores. After previously being at KKR, Venkatesh will now try to get his IPL form back and deserve the investment by RCB in the 2026 season.

In general, the IPL 2026 mini auction was a ruthless one and highlighted that current performance and team combinations can be more important than a player’s reputation when franchises are assembling their squads.