Best unsold XI after Indian Premier League 2026 auction
What's the story
The Indian Premier League 2026 auction was held on Tuesday, December 16 in Abu Dhabi. The 10 teams went for 29 foreign players and 48 Indians. Out of these 48 Indians, only nine capped players got lucky. On the other hand, several key players missed the bus after being ignored. Here we present the best IPL XI in terms of unsold players.
Openers
Jamie Smith and Jonny Bairstow
England's star wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith failed to bag his maiden IPL contract. The youngster went unsold in the IPL 2026 auction, having kept his base price at ₹2 crore. Fellow Englishman Jonny Bairstow is a proven star in IPL, as his numbers speak volumes of his abilities. What makes Bairstow a greater asset is his flexibility in the batting order. However, it wasn't enough.
Numbers 3-4
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Deepak Hooda follow suit
Having played in each of the last three IPL campaigns for Kolkata Knight Riders, Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz was ignored after being released. Deepak Hooda enjoyed a decent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 season, hitting three fifties for Rajasthan. However, it wasn't enough. He was released by Chennai Super Kings after one season with them.
Information
All-rounder Vijay Shankar finds no takers
All-rounder Vijay Shankar, who has represented several franchises in the IPL, found no takers. Despite entering the auction as an ucapped player, Shankar with a base price of ₹30 lakh, failed to attract teams. He had a dismal IPL 2025 season with CSK.
Duo
Yash Dhull and Abhinav Manohar get ignored
Delhi's Yash Dhull also saw no teams going for him. With a base price of ₹30 lakh, one expected teams to rope in this talented cricketer, but it wasn't meant to be. He scored 261 runs in 7 SMAT matches this season for Delhi at 37.28 (50s: 2). Having represented Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, Abhinav Manohar didn't find a team.
Bowlers
Karn, Madhwal, Theekshana and Johnson complete the unsold XI
Despite playing 90 IPL games and owning 87 wickets, spinner Karn Sharma was a surprise unsold player. Pacer Akash Madhwal also found no takers despite a base price of ₹30 lakh. In 17 IPL games, he owns 23 wickets. Spinner Maheesh Theekshana, who has played for CSK and RR, was ignored. He owns 36 IPL scalps. Lastly, pacer Spencer Johnson fills up this list.