IPL 2026 auction date confirmed; BCCI narrows pool to 350 players

The IPL 2026 auction date has been set, with the BCCI finalising all the details for the event. After trimming a massive register, the Indian board has reduced the final pool to 350 players. The extensive process saw the BCCI narrowing down the IPL 2026 auction pool from the initial list of 1,390 players, effectively slashing nearly three-fourths of the original group. This updated list, reportedly finalised following multiple rounds of communication with the franchises, also includes 35 surprising additions that did not feature in the first draft circulated among the teams.

All you need to know about the IPL 2026 auction

The IPL 2026 auction is now confirmed to take place on December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, with proceedings beginning at 1 pm local time (2:30 pm IST), as conveyed by the BCCI to the respective franchises late on Monday. Following the completion of the screening process, the auction roster has been condensed to 350 names, consisting of 240 Indian cricketers and 110 overseas entrants.

Within this mix are 224 uncapped players from India and 14 uncapped players from abroad, giving the list a balanced combination of proven performers and developing prospects. One of the most notable late inclusions is South African star Quinton de Kock. His name, missing from the preliminary roster, has reportedly appeared in the third set of wicketkeeper-batters after a specific franchise requested his entry.

The 33-year-old recently made a return to international cricket, taking his retirement back, smashing a century in the IND vs SA final ODI and reigniting interest in his services. de Kock enters the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a starting price of INR 1 crore, a drop from his previous base of INR 2 crore at the last mega auction, where Kolkata Knight Riders picked him up before releasing him following a subdued season.

The revised auction pool also introduces several new overseas contenders, including Sri Lanka’s Traveen Mathew, Binura Fernando, Kusal Perera and Dunith Wellalage, along with Afghanistan’s Arab Gul and West Indies youngster Akeem Auguste. The domestic section has been expanded as well, now featuring Vishnu Solanki, Parikshit Valsangkar, Sadek Hussain, Izaz Sawariya and around 20 more players who weren’t mentioned in the initial draft.

According to the structure laid out by the BCCI, the IPL 2026 mini-auction will begin with capped players sorted into specialist categories, batters, all-rounders, wicketkeeper-batters, fast bowlers and spinners, before moving on to uncapped names in the same order. The first batch (BA1) comprises high-profile options such as Cameron Green, Devon Conway, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Prithvi Shaw and David Miller, while Venkatesh Iyer is the leading name in the AL1 group for all-rounders.

The BCCI has further indicated that the accelerated portion of the IPL 2026 auction is expected to kick in once the 70th player has gone under the hammer. Afghanistan’s Wahidullah Zadran is listed at that spot. Players numbered from 71 through 350 will be processed during the first acceleration round, after which teams will be allowed to nominate unsold or previously unpresented players for a rapid additional segment.

Across the ten IPL teams, a total of 77 squad vacancies will be available on auction day, 31 of which are allotted for overseas signings. With franchises preparing to reinforce key areas or reshape their cores ahead of the 2026 campaign, the upcoming bidding sessions are expected to be fiercely competitive.

The top base-price slab continues to be set at Rs 2 crore, and 40 players have chosen to position themselves in this elite category. Predictably, the heavyweights in this bracket are likely to attract significant attention when the paddles go up. Among Indian players, only Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi have entered the auction at the Rs 2 crore mark.

The expansive list also highlights the presence of England performers Jamie Smith and Jonny Bairstow, New Zealand standouts Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell and Devon Conway, alongside Sri Lankan stalwarts Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana, among several other notable picks. In terms of auction budgets, Kolkata Knight Riders will arrive with the most substantial purse at 64.30 crore, while Chennai Super Kings follow with the second-highest balance of 43.40 crore as they gear up for the mini-auction.