IPL 2026 Mini Auction Highlights: Big Buys, Surprises & Unsold Stars
The IPL 2026 Mini Auction delivered several surprises, major price drops, and record-breaking deals. Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Delhi Capitals made key signings, while several big names surprisingly went unsold.
RCB Acquire Venkatesh Iyer at a Massive Discount
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore, marking one of the biggest price drops in IPL auction history.
Venkatesh Iyer, who played for Kolkata Knight Riders last season after being bought for ₹23.75 crore, will now represent RCB at less than one-third of that amount.
KKR initially bid up to ₹6.75 crore in the auction but later withdrew, allowing RCB to complete the deal. Venkatesh Iyer first rose to prominence during the IPL 2021 season and was retained by KKR in 2022 before being released ahead of this mini auction.
Cameron Green Sold for ₹25.20 Crore – Third Highest Ever
The biggest headline of the auction belonged to Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, who was sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for a record ₹25.20 crore.
Mumbai Indians, despite having only ₹2.75 crore in their purse, attempted to bid up to ₹2.5 crore. Chennai Super Kings also showed interest, but KKR eventually won the intense bidding war.
With this deal, Cameron Green became the third highest-priced player in IPL auction history, behind:
Rishabh Pant – ₹27 crore
Shreyas Iyer – ₹26.75 crore
Mumbai Indians Sign Quinton de Kock at Base Price
Mumbai Indians made a smart move by acquiring Quinton de Kock for his base price of ₹1 crore. Despite MI’s limited purse, no other franchise raised the bid, allowing them to sign the experienced wicketkeeper-batsman comfortably.
Key Players Bought at Base Price
Wanindu Hasaranga – Bought by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹2 crore
Ben Duckett – Signed by Delhi Capitals for ₹2 crore
Finn Allen – Acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹2 crore
David Miller – Bought by Delhi Capitals for ₹2 crore
Shocking Unsold Players List
The IPL 2026 Mini Auction also witnessed several big names going unsold:
Prithvi Shaw
Jonny Bairstow
Liam Livingstone
Rachin Ravindra
Sarfaraz Khan
Gus Atkinson
Deepak Hooda
Jamie Smith
Sreekhar Bharat
Once again, Prithvi Shaw remained unsold, continuing a disappointing trend from the previous auction.
Jack Fraser-McGurk Draws No Interest
Australian young batter Jack Fraser-McGurk was the first player to enter the auction. However, surprisingly, none of the 10 teams showed interest in bidding for him.
Final Thoughts
The IPL 2026 Mini Auction proved unpredictable, with dramatic price drops, record deals, and unexpected snubs. Cameron Green’s massive payday and Venkatesh Iyer’s bargain move to RCB stood out as the biggest talking points.
Stay tuned for more IPL 2026 auction updates, team analysis, and player news.
- IPL 2026 Mini Auction Highlights: Big Buys, Surprises & Unsold Stars - December 16, 2025
- IPL 2026 Auction: Cameron Green Sold for ₹25.20 Crore, But Why Will He Receive Only ₹18 Crore? - December 16, 2025
- KTR Slams CM Revanth Reddy After Panchayat Poll Results, Predicts Congress Downfall in Telangana - December 15, 2025
