IPL 2026 Mega Auction: Complete Team Review and Player List

The auction in Abu Dhabi for the 2026 IPL is done, and wow, what a ride! Forget what you thought you knew about auctions because this one was on another level. Records were broken, some unknown players got seriously rich overnight, and the team strategies? Some were so good, they left the competition speechless.

Let's kick off our review by checking out five popular teams: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Gujarat Titans (GT). We'll see if they took care of their weaknesses and if they spent too much. Let's get into their teams and rate how they did.

1. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Auction Grade: A+Purse Spent: ₹63.85 Cr (Approx)

KKR entered the auction with the most oversized purse, and they bullied the room. They didn't just buy players; they bought match-winners. Their strategy was clear: secure elite overseas talent at any cost.

• The Big Fish:
  • Cameron Green (₹25.20 Cr): The Australian all-rounder is now the most expensive overseas player in history. Is it a lot of money? Yes. Is he worth it? Absolutely. He solves their top-order power issue and gives them a genuine bowling option.
  • Matheesha Pathirana (₹18.00 Cr): "Baby Malinga" is a Knight. Pairing him with their existing spin attack makes their death bowling lethal.
• Smart Buys:
  • Rachin Ravindra (₹2.00 Cr): A steal at this price. He provides backup for the top order and spin options.
  • Akash Deep (₹1.00 Cr): Good Indian pace backup.

Verdict: KKR looks terrifying on paper. They have covered every base: explosive batting, mystery spin, and now, express pace. They are the early favourites.

2. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Auction Grade: B+ (High Risk, High Reward)Purse Spent: ₹41.00 Cr (Approx)

Typical CSK. While everyone else was fighting over big names, the Yellow Army threw a curveball that no one saw coming. They invested heavily in the future, trusting their scouting system over established stardom.

• The Shockers:
  • Prashant Veer (₹14.20 Cr) & Kartik Sharma (₹14.20 Cr): These two uncapped players just became household names overnight. CSK clearly sees something special in this spin-bowling all-rounder (Veer) and wicketkeeper-batter (Sharma). It’s a massive gamble, but Dhoni’s team rarely misses on talent ID.
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• Value Picks:
  • Rahul Chahar (₹5.20 Cr): A proven IPL spinner who thrives on turning tracks. A perfect fit for Chepauk.
  • Matt Henry (₹2.00 Cr): Solid overseas pacer experience.
  • Sarfaraz Khan (₹75 Lakh): A potential steal for the middle order against spin.

Verdict: They have built a "Gen Z" squad. If the uncapped duo fires, CSK are geniuses. If not, they might struggle for experience in crunch moments.

3. Mumbai Indians (MI)

Auction Grade: B-Purse Spent: Minimal (Budget Constraints)

Mumbai Indians walked in with the smallest purse (approx ₹2.75 Cr to start, plus trade adjustments), so their hands were tied. They had to rely on "Moneyball" tactics—finding value where no one else was looking.

• The Steal of the Auction:
  • Quinton de Kock (₹1.00 Cr): Getting QDK for ₹1 Crore is criminal. He is a proven match-winner and brings massive experience to the top order.
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• Other Buys:
  • Mayank Rawat (₹30 Lakh): A budget all-rounder to add depth.
  • Quirky Picks: They focused on filling bench strength with base-price players like Atharva Ankolekar and Mohammad Izhar.

Verdict: They did the best they could with empty pockets. The starting XI looks strong because of their retentions (Hardik, Bumrah, Surya, Rohit), but their bench is very thin. One injury could derail their season.

4. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Auction Grade: BPurse Spent: ₹16.4 Cr (Approx)

RCB needed to fix their bowling and find a stable middle-order presence. They did... okay. It wasn't a flashy auction, but it was sensible.

• Key Signings:
  • Venkatesh Iyer (₹7.00 Cr): A great buy. He adds a left-handed option in the middle order and can bowl medium pace—something RCB desperately needed at the Chinnaswamy.
  • Jacob Duffy (₹2.00 Cr): The Kiwi pacer is a decent swing bowler, but is he the death-over specialist they needed? That’s debatable.
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• Young Guns:
  • Vihaan Malhotra & Kanishk Chouhan (₹30 Lakh each): RCB is banking on these youngsters to develop quickly.

Verdict: The batting looks powerful as always, but the bowling attack still feels one premium pacer short. Venkatesh Iyer is a great addition, but will the bowling hold up?

5. Gujarat Titans (GT)

Auction Grade: BPurse Spent: ₹12.9 Cr (Approx)

Gujarat had a quiet auction, focusing on specific holes in their squad rather than chasing headlines. They needed overseas fast bowling and experience.

• Key Signings:
  • Jason Holder (₹7.00 Cr): He brings height and bounce, which works well at Ahmedabad. He also adds depth to the lower-order batting.
  • Luke Wood (₹75 Lakh): A left-arm pacer who can swing the ball. A smart backup option.

Verdict: A workmanlike auction. They didn't break the bank, but they added solid professionals. They will rely heavily on their retained core (Gill, Rashid) to do the heavy lifting.