10 days for IPL 2026: 10 new-signings which can shine
What's the story
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is back, and the excitement around IPL 2026 is palpable. The tournament, which will get underway on March 28, has always been a platform for emerging stars, thrilling matches, and unforgettable performances. This year promises to be even more competitive as teams have made some interesting changes in their squads. With the 2026 IPL being just 10 days away, here are the top 10 tournament debutants who can set the stage on fire.
#1
Mangesh Yadav - Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Madhya Pradesh's left-arm pacer Mangesh Yadav was snapped up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a whopping ₹5.2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. The 23-year-old, who is known for his deadly yorkers, was the leading wicket-taker of the MP T20 League last year. He picked up 14 wickets in 21 overs for Gwalior Cheetahs, including three four-wicket hauls in six games. As Yash Dayal is not certain to feature in IPL 2026, Mangesh can be the perfect back-up for him.
#2
Cooper Connolly - Punjab Kings
Australia all-rounder Cooper Connolly was signed by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for ₹3 crore at the auction table. The 22-year-old cricketer had said he likes to be versatile and can play at different positions as per the team's requirements. The southpaw can deliver handy overs of left-arm spin, which makes him an asset. He averages 30.23 with the bat in the Big Bash League. His economy of 6.84 is also impressive.
#3
Tejasvi Singh Dahiya - Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders secured the services of wicketkeeper-batter Tejasvi Singh Dahiya for ₹3 crore at the auction table. In his short career so far, Tejasvi has played six T20 matches and scored 113 runs at an impressive strike rate of 168.65. The Delhi-based player aced the finisher's role for Delhi in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025. With Tim Seifert being the only other specialist keeper in the KKR squad, Dahiya is certain to get a go at some point.
#4
Pathum Nissanka - Delhi Capitals
Sri Lanka's star opening batter Pathum Nissanka was signed by Delhi Capitals for ₹4 crore at the auction. Nissanka's consistent international performances had drawn attention from various franchises. He will be making his IPL debut in the upcoming edition. Last year, Nissanka became the highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in T20I cricket. He also impressed in the recent T20 World Cup, scoring 211 runs at a strike rate of 147.55. This includes a match-winning hundred versus Australia.
#5
Auqib Nabi - Delhi Capitals
Jammu and Kashmir's rising pace-bowling sensation Auqib Nabi is also gearing up for his maiden IPL campaign. Delhi Capitals bought the fast bowler for a massive ₹8.40 crore. The 29-year-old, who has been in sensational form in domestic cricket, is mostly known for his heroics with the new ball. With 60 wickets at 12.56, Nabi finished the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy as highest wicket-taker. In T20 cricket, the pacer has claimed 43 wickets from 34 games at an average of 21.81.
#6
Ashok Sharma - Gujarat Titans
Ashok Sharma, a 23-year-old right-arm pacer from Rajasthan, was sold to Gujarat Titans for ₹90 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction. He claimed 22 wickets across 10 games to finish the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as the joint-highest wicket-taker. Ashok's ability to consistently bowl above 140km/h and strike has earned him trials with multiple IPL franchises.
#7
Mukul Choudhary - Lucknow Super Giants
In Mukul Choudhary, we have another uncapped wicket-keeper on this list. The dasher was picked by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹2.60 crore at the bidding event. Mukul's consistent domestic performances and ability to score quickly caught the attention of franchises. Coming to his T20 numbers, the 21-year-old Rajasthan player has played just seven games, scoring 210 runs at an average of 42 and a strike rate of 165.35.
#8
Jack Edwards - Sunrisers Hyderabad
Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards, who has played just one T20I so far, was sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹3 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. The pace-bowling all-rounder was on a roll in the 2025-26 Big Bash League, claiming 19 wickets from 13 matches at 18.47. Moreover, his 133 runs in the season came at a strike rate of 168.35. His three-dimensional skills can come in handy for the Orange Army.
#9
Kartik Sharma - Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) stunned one and all by signing uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma for ₹14.2 crore at the auction. Kartik was a standout performer for Rajasthan in the 2025 SMAT, scoring 133 runs in five games at a strike rate of over 160. He has also maintained an impressive strike rate of 162.92 throughout his T20 career, which now spans 12 matches. The 19-year-old has 334 runs in the format at 30.36 (50s: 2).
#10
Prashant Veer - Chennai Super Kings
CSK dished out ₹14.2 crore for the 20-year-old Prashant Veer as well. The southpaw, who is a left-arm spinner, is likely to be groomed as the long-term successor to Ravindra Jadeja. Veer played just nine T20 matches so far, scalping 12 wickets at a fine economy of 6.45. The dasher has also tallied 112 runs in these games at a fine strike rate of 167.16. Notably, Veer and Kartik are the joint-most expensive uncapped players in IPL auction history.