The IPL 2026 mini auction will take place on December 16.
Multiple Indian players, who have been released by their respective franchises, are set to be sought after in the IPL 2026 auction. The list could also include domestic stars who had gone unsold before the latest edition of the cash-rich league. Let’s check out 10 such Indian players who could prove to be the most valuable domestic buys in the upcoming mini auction.
The star Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter had made the headlines after being acquired for a mammoth INR 23.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction. However, the pressure of such a huge price tag eventually reflected in his performance. The southpaw managed only 142 runs in 11 matches last season.
But despite the IPL 2025 debacle, Venkatesh is well known for his attacking gameplay. Having said that, the Madhya Pradesh batter is once again set to witness a bidding war among the franchises. While the Knights would surely want him back in the KKR squad, the reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), will also be interested in roping in the all-rounder.
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) spinner could also feature on several teams’ IPL 2026 auction targets list. Though the bowler had endured a tough outing in the last two IPL seasons, multiple franchises like the Mumbai Indians (MI) or Rajasthan Royals (RR) might be interested in acquiring the 25-year-old.
Moreover, Bishnoi has also put up a consistent show in the domestic circuit, snaring 10 wickets in his last four appearances for Gujarat.
Initially, the Karnataka opener went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction. But he later joined RCB as an unfortunate injury ruled out Devdutt Padikkal just before the knockouts. Mayank collected 95 runs in his crucial four cameo appearances at a strike rate of 148.43. Teams might look to add him to their squad to strengthen their top order.
The leg-spinner had put up a decent show in his three-year stints for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and MI. But he could not often make it to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) playing XI in the latest edition.
However, Rahul has maintained a great economy of only 7.72 in his eight-year IPL career so far. He also conceded nine runs in his solitary appearance of the IPL 2025. This makes him a great option for teams who will be on the lookout for domestic spinners in the IPL 2026 auction.
Following a rapid decline in form, the Delhi Capitals (DC) released the star opener in 2024 after an eight-year-long stint. But Prithvi has made a strong case to attract the franchises’ attention with his back-to-back fierce outings in domestic cricket. After notching up a magnificent 222 in the Ranji Trophy, the batter has continued his purple patch in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025.
His latest domestic stats read as – 66, 5, 74, 71, 20. This suggests that the 2018 Under-19 World Cup-winning skipper, who had gone unsold in the previous auction, has high chances to create a bidding war in the IPL 2026.
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The Uttar Pradesh seamer would be another player who went unsold before the IPL 2025 but could make it to a team in the next edition. After battling several injury issues, the ex-KKR bowler has finally made a strong comeback, scalping a fifer and three-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy and SMAT 2025, respectively.
The Tamil Nadu all-rounder has previously been part of the RCB squad in the IPL 2023. Following a consistent show with both of his skills, Sonu is likely to be a valuable all-rounder in the IPL 2026 auction. Earlier, the 26-year-old had also become the leading wicket-taker of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2025. He bagged a total of 16 scalps in seven matches at an impressive economy rate of 7.98.
The 19-year-old Rajasthan prodigy could garner major franchise attention in the IPL 2026 auction. The wicketkeeper-batter has a strong domestic record to his name. Additionally, Kartik has recently been in fine form, scoring 139 and 120 in the recent Ranji Trophy fixtures. After entering the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) camp as a reserve player during the IPL 2025, the side might acquire him for the upcoming season.
Raheja is another Tamil Nadu player who could be a hot prospect for the teams in search of domestic wicketkeeper-batters. He had attended several trials for the previous edition, but unfortunately missed out on making it to an IPL side.
But with a continued batting blitz in the 20-over format, the southpaw has a strong chance to earn his maiden IPL deal. Alike Sonu, the 24-year-old had also topped the charts in the TNPL 2025. He became the highest run-getter of the league, with 488 runs in nine matches at a blistering strike rate of 185.55.
The Uttarakhand pacer had a breakthrough season for MI in the IPL 2023, snaring 14 wickets in eight fixtures. But he has had average outings in the subsequent seasons for MI and RR, with nine dismissals in as many fixtures.
However, the Mumbai management are known for assembling their core, and after releasing several pacers from their last edition’s squad, MI could once again bid for the 32-year-old in the IPL 2026 auction.
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