IPL 2026 mini-auction: Most expensive players for each team
What's the story
The 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction concluded on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. All 10 teams have bolstered their rosters by picking some of the most prolific players. While Cameron Green bagged a record deal with Kolkata Knight Riders, Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma became the most expensive uncapped players in IPL history. Here are the costliest players from each team.
#1
Cameron Green (KKR): ₹25.20 crore
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green was the most expensive buy at the IPL 2026 auction, being acquired by the Knight Riders for a whopping ₹25.20 crore. This makes him the most expensive foreign player in IPL history. He surpassed Mitchell Starc, who was acquired by KKR for a whopping ₹24.75 crore in 2024. Notably, Green won't earn more than ₹18 crore in this deal.
#2
Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma (CSK): ₹14.20 crore
Prashant Veer, the 20-year-old left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder, bagged his maiden IPL contract. CSK dished out a massive ₹14.2 crore for him. Minutes after acquiring Veer, CSK bought another uncapped player in Kartik Sharma, for exactly ₹14.2 crore. Hence, Veer and Kartik are now the joint-most expensive uncapped players in the IPL. Both players had a base price of ₹30 lakh.
#3
Liam Livingstone (SRH): ₹13 crore
Sunrisers Hyderabad bagged England batter Liam Livingstone for a massive ₹13 crore. The dasher, who has aced the finisher's role in T20 cricket, has made a mark in the IPL too. Though Livingstone was part of Royal Challengers Bangalore's title-winning IPL 2025 season, his returns were paltry. The all-rounder was subsequently released. His strike rate in the tournament reads 158.76.
#4
Josh Inglis (LSG): ₹8.60 crore
Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis was sold to Lucknow Super Giants for ₹8.6 crore. Inglis, with a base price of ₹2 crore, had confirmed his limited availability for the season. He will be available only for 25% of IPL 2026, which means he can play a maximum of four matches due to international and personal commitments. Inglis played for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025.
#5
Auqib Nabi (DC): ₹8.50 crore
Jammu and Kashmir's rising pace-bowling sensation Auqib Nabi has bagged his maiden IPL contract. Delhi Capitals bought the fast bowler for ₹8.40 crore. The right-arm seamer has been in sensational form in domestic cricket and is mostly known for his heroics with the new ball. Nabi finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy (44 wickets).
#6
Ravi Bishnoi (RR): ₹7.20 crore
Indian leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who started a bidding war, bagged a ₹7.20 crore contract with Rajasthan Royals. The youngster had been a vital part of LSG before being released after a modest IPL 2025 season. However, his overall IPL numbers are impressive. The leggie has compiled 72 wickets in 77 IPL appearances (ER: 8.21). Bishnoi currently has 61 wickets from 42 T20Is at 19.37.
#7
Jason Holder (GT): ₹7 crore
West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder has been signed by Gujarat Titans for ₹7 crore. Holder's unique combination of height, bounce, leadership skills, and proven match-winning capabilities under pressure make him an ideal addition to any team. In the IPL, Holder has made his mark with some brilliant spells for five different franchises so far. He has taken 53 wickets across 43 games (ER: 8.81).
#8
Venkatesh Iyer (RCB): ₹7 crore
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru signed Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore to bolster their batting order. Venkatesh was the third-most expensive player at the IPL 2025 auction. KKR signed him for a record ₹23.75 crore. Overall, the Indian batter owns 1,462 runs from 62 IPL games (SR: 137.32). His tally includes a ton and 12 half-centuries.
#9
Ben Dwarshuis (PBKS): ₹4.40 crore
Punjab Kings' most expensive player at the IPL 2026 auction was Australian seamer Ben Dwarshuis. The Kings acquired him for ₹4.40 crore (Base price: ₹1 crore). The left-arm seamer, who is yet to make his IPL debut, has performed well in Australia's Big Bash League (BBL). Dwarshuis has taken 220 wickets in 175 T20Is at an average of 23.35.
#10
Quinton de Kock (MI): ₹2 crore
Mumbai Indians (MI) entered the IPL 2026 mini-auction with just ₹2.75 crore. They utilized nearly half of that amount (₹1 crore) to acquire South African batter Quinton de Kock. The southpaw was released by the Kolkata Knight Riders after IPL 2025. Nevertheless, de Kock starred in MI's 2019 and 2020 title-winning campaigns. He owns over 11,000 T20 runs with seven tons.