New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini auction is underway at Abu Dhabi. And, domestic players have emerged as the ‘success stories’ from the bidding so far. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spent a record sum of Rs 28.40 crore on two uncapped talents—Uttar Pradesh spinner Prashant Veer and Rajasthan wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma.
Both players were snapped up for Rs 14.20 crore each, making it the highest-ever price paid for any uncapped player in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL). Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir pacer Aquib Dar was bought for Rs 8.40 crore by the Delhi Capitals.
The mini-auction for the 19th edition of the IPL is being held in Abu Dhabi, with all 10 franchises looking to fill a total of 77 slots from a combined purse of Rs 237.55 crore. Teams are allowed to have a maximum squad size of 25 players, including up to eight overseas cricketers.
The Kolkata Knight Riders entered the auction with the biggest purse of Rs 64.30 crore, followed by the Chennai Super Kings with Rs 43.40 crore. Whereas, the Mumbai Indians had the smallest purse, of Rs 2.75 crore.
While several capped players and international stars, including Deepak Hooda, Prithvi Shaw, Liam Livingstone and Jonny Bairstow went unsold, uncapped domestic players stole the spotlight.
Here are the top five uncapped players who fetched Rs 1 crore or more at the auction:
Prashant Veer
A left-handed batter and slow left-arm orthodox, the 20-year-old is being viewed as a long-term “all-round” prospect for the CSK, the franchise mentioned on its X handle.
As the CSK had to let go its veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the pre-auction trade window, Veer could potentially fill a similar role for the franchise in the IPL 2026. The CSK secured him for Rs 14.20 crore.
Veer has impressed in T20 cricket with his all-round abilities. In seven innings for the Noida Super Kings in the UP T20 League, he has scored 112 runs at a strike rate of over 167, underlining his ability to score quickly in the lower order. With the ball, he has picked up 12 wickets in nine T20 matches while maintaining an economy rate of 6.45.
Prashant Veer earns BIG! ✨💛
A staggering INR 14.2 Crore for the all-rounder as he joins @ChennaiIPL 🤝#TATAIPL | #TATAIPLAuction pic.twitter.com/TOOwJ5jG4J
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) December 16, 2025
Kartik Sharma
Just 19, Kartik Sharma matched Veer’s price tag, as the CSK paid another Rs 14.20 crore to acquire the right-handed wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan. Sharma already boasts an impressive domestic record, particularly in first-class, List A, and T20 cricket.
In first-class cricket, he has scored 479 runs in 11 innings at an average of 43.54, including three centuries, highlighting his ability to play long, composed innings.
His List A numbers are even more impressive, with 445 runs in nine matches at an average of 55.62, including two hundreds and two fifties. In T20s, Kartik has amassed 334 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of nearly 163, hitting 28 sixes.
Aquib Dar
Nicknamed the “Thunderbolt” and often referred to as the “Dale Steyn of Baramulla,” the Jammu & Kashmir pacer was picked up by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 8.40 crore. Dar has an outstanding first-class record, having claimed 125 wickets at an average of 19.98 and an economy rate of 2.90.
He enjoyed a stellar Ranji Trophy season last year, taking 44 wickets for J&K at an average of 13.93, no other seam bowler managed more than 35 wickets, with only Vidarbha’s slow left-arm orthodox Harsh Dubey finishing above him in the overall wicket-takers’ tally.
Dar also grabbed attention with a sensational four-wicket haul in four balls against the East Zone in a Duleep Trophy match this August. In the ongoing Ranji Trophy, he already has 29 wickets to his name.
Mukul Choudhary
Another Rajasthan wicketkeeper-batter, Mukul Choudhary, was acquired by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for Rs 2.60 crore. The 21-year-old comes into the IPL on the back of a match-winning knock against Delhi in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Just two years into his domestic career, the hefty bid represents a significant boost for the young cricketer.
Mukul made his first-class debut in January 2023 against Chhattisgarh and has scored 51 runs in three matches at an average of 12.75, with a top score of 45.
Lucknow mein swagat hai, Mukul 💙 pic.twitter.com/s25odDb7rC
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) December 16, 2025
In T20 cricket, however, he has been far more effective. Since making his T20 debut against Jharkhand in October 2023, where he scored 35 as an opener, the wicketkeeper-batter has accumulated 210 runs in seven matches at an average of 42, with an unbeaten 62 as his highest score.
Naman Tiwari
Left-arm pacer Naman Tiwari was also snapped up by the LSG, which bought him for Rs 1 crore at the mini-auction. Tiwari made headlines with his performance in the 2024 Under-19 World Cup, where he finished as India’s second-highest wicket-taker, claiming 12 wickets in six matches.
He has previously served as a net bowler for the Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Baramulla Express comes to IPL—Auqib Nabi, the ‘thunderbolt’ from J&K who sparked a bidding frenzy