IPL 2026 auction to feature 350 players; De Kock returns
What's the story
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced major changes to the player list for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction. The board has removed as many as 1,005 names from its initial longlist of 1,355 players. This leaves a final pool of just 350 players who will go under the hammer at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena on December 16.
New additions
35 surprise inclusions in final IPL auction list
The final list of 350 players also features 35 surprise inclusions who were not part of the original spreadsheet circulated to teams. Among these unexpected entries is South Africa's Quinton de Kock. The wicketkeeper-batter was added after a franchise put his name forward. De Kock recently returned from international retirement and scored a century in Visakhapatnam, prompting renewed interest.
Auction details
De Kock's base price set at ₹1 crore
De Kock enters the auction with a base price of ₹1 crore, half of what he commanded at the previous mega sale. At that time, Kolkata Knight Riders secured him for ₹2 crore. The auction will also feature other new overseas players such as Sri Lankans Traveen Mathew, Binura Fernando, Kusal Perera and Dunith Wellalage.
Local talent
Domestic players added to IPL auction list
The updated list for the IPL 2026 auction also includes a number of domestic players such as Vishnu Solanki, Parikshit Valsangkar, Sadek Hussain, Izaz Sawariya among others. A number of new Indian players have been added who were not part of the initial submission. The BCCI has confirmed that the bidding process will start with a full round of capped players in order of specialism - batters, all-rounders, wicket-keeper/batters, fast bowlers and spin bowlers.
Auction format
IPL auction to feature 350 players
The IPL auction will feature 350 players and will start at 1pm UAE time (2:30pm IST) on Tuesday, December 16. The first accelerated round will cover all players from 71-350. Once these players have been presented, franchises will be asked to name the players (unpresented and unsold) from all those on the full list of 350 for further accelerated presentation.