The IPL 2026 mini-auction is taking place today, December 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi. With a total of 369 players competing for just 77 slots, franchises are adopting a high-stakes “release and buy back” strategy to optimize their remaining purses.
Since no Right to Match (RTM) cards are available in this mini-auction, teams must rely entirely on their bidding power and market timing to reclaim their former stars.
🔥 Top Potential “Homecomings”
| Player | Previous Team | 2025 Price | Potential Buyback Reason |
| Matheesha Pathirana | CSK | ₹13 Crore | CSK needs his death-bowling at Chepauk; they hope to get him back for ₹6–8 Crore. |
| Venkatesh Iyer | KKR | ₹23.75 Crore | Released after a dip in form; KKR remains interested if the price drops to ₹6–8 Crore. |
| Quinton de Kock | KKR | ₹6.75 Crore | KKR needs an aggressive keeper-opener; his recent form makes him a top priority. |
| Ravi Bishnoi | LSG | ₹11 Crore | LSG released him but lacks a frontline Indian leg-spinner; they may bid to bring him home. |
| David Miller | LSG | ₹10 Crore | Likely to be targeted by teams needing middle-order experience (LSG or potentially CSK). |
💰 Franchise Purse Standings
The auction is heavily skewed by the available funds, giving some teams a massive advantage in bidding wars:
- Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): ₹64.30 Crore (13 slots) — Biggest Purse
- Chennai Super Kings (CSK): ₹43.40 Crore (9 slots)
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): ₹25.50 Crore (10 slots)
- Mumbai Indians (MI): ₹2.75 Crore (5 slots) — Smallest Purse
🔍 Key Auction Dynamics
- The “Price Tag” Pressure: High-value players like Venkatesh Iyer were released because their 2025 performance didn’t justify their massive salaries. Teams are betting they can re-acquire them for roughly 30–50% of their previous cost.
- Foreign Player Cap: A new BCCI rule ensures that no overseas player in the mini-auction can earn more than the highest retention slab of ₹18 Crore. Any bid amount exceeding this will go to the BCCI’s player welfare fund.
- Domestic Standouts: Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi are the only two Indian players in the ₹2 Crore base price category, making them the most anticipated domestic names in the room.