Meet Mangesh Yadav, RCB's ₹5.2cr acquisition at IPL 2026 auction
What's the story
Madhya Pradesh's left-arm pacer Mangesh Yadav has been snapped up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for a whopping ₹5.2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The 23-year-old cricketer made his entry into the auction with a base price of ₹30 lakh, and RCB opened the bidding. Sunrisers Hyderabad also joined the bidding war, resulting in an intense contest between both franchises over the value of a left-arm seamer with strong defensive skills.
Auction details
RCB secures Mangesh Yadav after intense bidding
The bidding for Yadav crossed ₹1 crore in no time and continued to rise as RCB and SRH exchanged bids. RCB pushed the price to ₹4 crore before SRH briefly returned with a bid of ₹4.2 crore. However, RCB were determined to secure a left-arm option as cover for Yash Dayal and stayed in the race as the price surged past ₹5 crore, eventually sealing the deal at ₹5.2 crore.
Player profile
Mangesh's impressive performance in MP T20 League
Mangesh Yadav, a left-arm pacer known for his deadly yorkers, was the leading wicket-taker of the MP T20 League earlier this year. He picked up 14 wickets in 21 overs for Gwalior Cheetahs at 12, including three four-wicket hauls in six games. The young talent has represented Madhya Pradesh in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after his stellar show at the MP T20 League. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old has played just two games in professional T20 cricket, claiming three wickets.