IPL 2026 Mini-Auction: The IPL carnival has rolled back into town, buzzing with the kind of energy only this league can create. With the BCCI trimming the IPL 2026 mini-auction pool to just 350 players from an overwhelming 1,355 registrations, the battle lines are clearly drawn.
Among them are 240 Indian cricketers and 110 overseas names, all vying for a limited window of opportunity-46 Indian and 31 overseas slots to be precise.
There are no headline-grabbing marquee names this time, but that only adds to the intrigue, as franchises head into a no-nonsense bidding war in Abu Dhabi on December 16. Still nursing the after-effects of tough retention calls, teams are now focused on smart buys rather than flashy ones.
That's where spin-bowling all-rounders
come into the picture-players who can quietly control the middle overs, contribute handy runs down the order, and offer priceless balance without burning a hole in the purse or an overseas slot.
These multi-tasking magicians are gold dust in T20's brutal ecosystem, where pace dominates but spin wins auctions. Teams like Chennai Super Kings, desperate for Indian wrist-spin, or Rajasthan Royals eyeing explosive finishers, will go hammer and tongs. Base prices sit at a tantalising ₹2 crore each, but expect fireworks-proven wicket-takers like these could fetch double digits. From leg-spin assassins to left-arm orthodox artists, here's the colourful crew that could balance any squad, blending aggression, economy, and batting cameos. We've crunched the numbers, dissected careers, and ranked them by auction sizzle.
Top 5 Spin-Bowling All-Rounders: Auction Breakdown
| Rank | Player | Country | Specialism | Base Price (₹ Lakh) | IPL Wickets/Matches | Key Auction Hook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ravi Bishnoi | India | Leg-Spin | 200 | 72/77 | Frontline Indian wrist-spinner; middle-overs menace, no overseas slot burn |
| 2 | Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | Leg-Spin All-rounder | 200 | 46/37 | World-class googly gun; 5/18 IPL best, late-order hitting bonus |
| 3 | Liam Livingstone | England | Off/Leg-Spin All-rounder | 200 | 13/49 | Six-hitting beast; dual-spin utility for death-overs drama |
| 4 | Rachin Ravindra | New Zealand | Left-Arm Spin All-rounder | 200 | 5/30 | Top-order lefty opener; World Cup star with sneaky spin |
| 5 | Michael Bracewell | New Zealand | Left-Arm Spin All-rounder | 200 | 6/5 | Steady middle-order rock; economical spinner for squad depth |
Ravi Bishnoi isn't just a bowler-he's a pressure-cooker, flipping googlies that leave batsmen in knots. The 25-year-old capped Indian has snared 72 wickets across 77 IPL games for Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, with a miserly grip on middle overs. His best? A sharp 3/24 against SRH in 2021.
As a pure Indian option, he's the dream fix for spin-weak squads, turning dot balls into dismissals without eating foreign slots.
If wickets were currency, Wanindu Hasaranga would be a billionaire. This 28-year-old leg-spin firebrand has terrorised IPL with 46 scalps in 37 matches across RCB, SRH, and Rajasthan Royals. His highlight? A dreamland 5/18 against SRH in 2022, topping RCB's charts that season with 26 victims.
Franchises craving an overseas attack dog will bid big; his mystery spin could redefine middle-over mayhem.
Liam Livingstone walks in like a rockstar-bat first, ball as encore. The 32-year-old English powerhouse boasts 13 IPL wickets in 49 games, peaking with 6 in 2022 for PBKS (best 3/27). He's bowled leg and off-spin sparingly-2 wickets for RCB in '25-but his real magic? Carnage with the willow, launching sixes like fireworks.
Dual-spin flair makes him a T20 unicorn.
Rachin Ravindra burst onto the scene like a 2023 World Cup comet, and now he's auction catnip. At 26, this New Zealand left-hander offers top-order fireworks plus left-arm orthodox spin-5 wickets in 30 IPL outings. His batting flair screams long-term gold: elegant drives, helicopter scoops.
Youthful upside means franchises like MI or KKR see him as opener-plus-bowler. Not a frontline spinner, but his economy and variety plug gaps beautifully, especially on turning tracks.
Don't sleep on Michael Bracewell-he's the quiet enforcer at 35. In just 5 IPL games for RCB ('23 injury cover), he grabbed 6 wickets at 8.64 economy, starring with 2/13 vs SRH. Middle-order stability meets tidy left-arm spin; wickets vs RR, MI, KKR show tactical nous.
These spin all-rounders aren't just players-they're squad saviours, promising drama under Abu Dhabi's lights. With 16 capped Indians, 98 overseas capped, 230 uncapped locals, 14 uncapped foreigners, and one associate in the pool, expect chaos. Who'll land the jackpot? One thing's sure: spin could spin the IPL narrative in 2026.
