Several big names are absent from the list.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, the BCCI has released a pruned list of 350 players after extensive consultation with franchises. There are some big names like Cameron Green and Venkatesh Iyer, while several unknown talents might also find a team. With several franchises having big purses, those in the earlier sets will likely get big sums, as often happens in mini-auctions.
However, a few big or expected names have also missed out on the final list, suggesting the teams didn’t show interest in them. Several players who were part of various franchises last season won’t even come in the auction this time. Maybe some names were expected, but a few quality players are also absent, which is surprising, given it’s a mega auction.
We look at five notable absentees from the IPL 2026 auction players list.
The biggest surprise was Swastik Chikara, who was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025. RCB bought him for INR 30 Lakhs in the mega auction, but he didn’t get any game to showcase his skills. Later, Chikara was released ahead of the mini auction, as RCB looked for some flexibility.
Now, no team has shown interest in Swastik Chikara, considering his immense talent and superior skills shown in domestic and local tournaments. He was the fifth-leading run-scorer in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League 2025, with 370 runs at an average of 30.83 and a strike rate of 123.33 in 13 innings, including three fifties. Several IPL teams require solid local middle-order batters, and Chikara could have been one of the options, especially since he brings previous experience of two different IPL dressing rooms.
Adam Zampa’s exclusion is indeed surprising, even if he hasn’t been as successful in IPL as in international cricket. There’s a serious shortage of quality wrist spinners in the IPL 2026 auction, and several teams need such players for the main XI. Still, no side has shown interest in Zampa, who is currently one of the most skilled and experienced wrist spinners in white-ball cricket.
He was with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) last season, where he took two wickets and conceded 11.75 runs per over across two games before an injury abruptly ended his season. Maybe Zampa’s previous commitment issues and not-so-impressive performances played a role, but he still brings certain qualities hard to replicate. Now that the BCCI has a strict policy for players pulling out of the tournament without a valid reason, the Australian spinner would have been available for the full season and a useful addition to a few teams.
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Like Adam Zampa, Adil Rashid’s failures in IPL have always been surprising, given that he finds ample success in international cricket. Still, he had an outside chance to find a buyer this time, especially since he has shown good recent form. But teams have shown no interest in his experience and guile.
This might be a pattern for the upcoming seasons, too; franchises have stopped relying heavily on overseas players after recent local talents have shown skills to do the job. Rashid has had his chances before, where he failed to grab them by bowling below his standards, and now he is unlikely to be part of the league again. This was his best chance to get another opportunity, but now that teams have not ignored him, Adil Rashid’s IPL career might be over.
Luvnith Sisodia might not have played a game yet, but he has been hyped massively by fans and experts in recent times. He was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) last season, but warmed the bench throughout. Now his exclusion from the players’ list comes as a massive surprise.
Sisodia is a wicketkeeper-batter who has shown encouraging skills in whatever little he has played in competitive cricket. Teams like the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders require such players in their squads and would have roped him in at a reasonable price. Not many local players in this category have previous experience working with IPL teams.
Shaik Rasheed’s superior red-ball skills might not be enough to impress IPL franchises. He was with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last season but was released after being underwhelming in the limited chances with the bat. Now, he won’t even come to the auction room after no team showed interest in him.
Rasheed is involved in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, where he blew hot and cold with the bat. While he has been a quality player in the longest format, his T20 game needs a lot of work, which might be a reason for his exclusion. Teams can’t afford a decent striker in a fast-moving IPL tournament.
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