IPL 2026: From Venkatesh Iyer to Ravi Bishnoi to Cameron Green - 5 cricketers who might fetch big money in mini-auction
Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi are among the Indian cricketers who are likely to fetch big money at the IPL 2026 auction. Australian all-rounder Cameron Green is also another name who will be on radar of most of the teams.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction is fast approaching. In less than two weeks, close to 400 cricketers will go under the hammer at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Over 1,000 players have registered for the mini-auction on 16 December. The BCCI will announce the final, smaller list of players soon.
A mini-auction is always a tricky affair, unlike a mega auction. Franchises only look to fill a few vacant slots based on their specific requirements. This is where auction dynamics come into play. It often means several top names might miss out. The serial order of names on the list also plays a significant role in a player's chances of being picked.
Some big names will be absent from the IPL 2026 auction. Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali, for instance, have withdrawn. They have chosen to participate in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) instead. Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has also opted out after 14 long seasons and will not be part of the IPL 2026 auction. Despite the absence of these stars, a bunch of current young talents are expected to fetch big money in IPL 2026.
5 cricketers likely to attract big in IPL 2026 auction
| Player | Role | Why will they attract big money |
|---|---|---|
| Cameron Green (Australia) | All-rounder | A pace bowling all-rounder, Cameron Green provides stability to any batting order. An explosive right-handed batter, Green can also bowl medium fast, a rare quality for a player in international cricket. Notably, Green has already scored an IPL hundred for Mumbai Indians in 2023, before he was traded to RCB in 2024. With KKR and CSK entering IPL 2026 auction with high purse, both teams would certainly jump for Green. |
| Ravi Bishnoi (India) | Leg-spinner | At a time when most of the franchises have retained their top spin options, Lucknow Super Giants surprisingly released leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. With an average of 12 wickets per season, Bishnoi will be on high demand during the IPL 2026 auction. Bishnoi already has 72 wickets in IPL and 61 scalps for the Indian team in 42 T20Is for the national team. |
| Liam Livingstone (England) | All-rounder | Although Liam Livingstone isn't a regular in IPL since he made his debut in 2019. Despite that, the Englishman has always attracted huge bids from the franchises across the globe for his brutal power-hitting. His ability to bowl both off-spin and leg-spin makes Livingstone a high-demand player for the franchise teams. With a strike-rate of around 158 in IPL, Livingstone's ability to finish the games in the middle-order is a big bonus point for all the teams. |
| Venkatesh Iyer (India) | All-rounder | A proven customer in IPL, Venkatesh Iyer is a versatile cricketers who can bat both as an opener and in the middle-order. To add more to his armoury, Iyer's medium pace also adds to his strengths. Iyer was bought for a staggering ₹23.75 crore at last year's auction by KKR, but was released by the franchise following a below-par season in IPL 2025. |
| Matheesha Pathirana (Sri Lanka) | Pace bowler | Known as 'Baby Malinga' due to his slingy-arm action as that of Lasith Malinga, Sri Lankan Matheesha Pathirana will engage huge bidding war in the IPL 2026 auction. A death-over specialist, Pathirana's record of picking crucial wickets at the death and bowling yorkers consistently, makes his a high-demand player. He was released by CSK due to injury concerns. |
When is IPL 2026 auction?
The IPL 2026 mini-auction is scheduled for 16 December in Abu Dhabi. Ten franchises have a total purse of ₹237.55 crore available to fill the 77 vacant slots. Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) enter the auction with the maximum purse: ₹64.30 crore. Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have the second-highest purse of ₹43.4 crore to fill their nine available slots.
Stay updated with all the latest news and insights on Cricket, Football, and Tennis at Livemint Sports. Stay ahead of the game! Follow our Asia Cup 2025 for real-time updates on India Asia Cup 2025 matches, the complete Asia Cup schedule 2025, and the latest Asia Cup points table 2025. Don't miss out on who has the Most Runs in Asia Cup 2025 and Most Wickets in Asia Cup 2025
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.