As the IPL 2026 auction starts, all eyes remain on the high-stakes bidding wars set to reshape franchises. Yet, beneath the glamour of marquee signings lies a stark reality: a pool of talented players
could once again go unsold, echoing past auctions where potential went unpicked.
A total of 369 players up for the auction and 77 slots are set to be filled. 10 franchises are on board to configure their optimum squad ahead of next season.
Franchises enter with finite purses and rigid strategies, prioritizing explosive batsmen, death-over specialists, and versatile all-rounders. This leaves certain profiles - like domestic stalwarts with inconsistent returns or overseas pacers lacking IPL pedigree - vulnerable. In recent auctions, budget constraints and team balance needs have sidelined dozens, turning hopefuls into free agents overnight.
Historical trends amplify the risk. Over the last three seasons, upwards of 20-30% of the player pool has remained unsold. Going unsold isn't the end. Many rebound via late retentions, state leagues, or international T20s, building cases for mini-auctions or IPL 2027. Franchises often circle back post-auction for domestic gems at slashed rates.
IPL 2026 Unsold Players
In the set 1, Prithvi Shaw has already gone unsold. Devon Conway of New Zealand and Aussie batter Jake Fraser-McGurk also didn't have any suitors. Sarfaraz Khan also failed to attract any bid in the auction.
Liam Livingstone, Rachin Ravindra also went unsold. Two Indian pacers in the first list, Akash Deep and Shivam Mavi, also had no bids.
IPL 2026 Auction Unsold Players List
Capped Players
Set 1
- Jake Fraser-McGurk
- Prithvi Shaw
- Devon Conway
- Sarfaraz Khan
Set 2
- Gus Atkinson
- Rachin Ravindra
- Liam Livingstone
- Wiaan Mulder
- Deepak Hooda
Set 3
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- KS Bharat
- Jonny Bairstow
- Jamie Smith
Set 4
- Matt Henry
- Akash Deep
- Shivam Mavi
- Gerald Coetzee
- Spencer Johnson
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
Set 5
- Rahul Chahar
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Uncapped Players
- Atharva Taide
- Anmolpreet Singh
- Abhinav Tejrana
- Abhinav Manohar
- Yash Dhull
- Aarya Desai
- Yash Dhull
