IPL 2026 Auction – Player List, Expected Dates & Updates

While the official dates have not been announced yet, the IPL 2026 Auction will most likely be held in December 2025. 

This is a mini-auction, which means teams will buy fewer players than in big auctions. Teams will buy players to fix problems in their squads. 

This guide tells you about the auction dates, which players and teams might keep or release, and how you can watch it.

IPL 2026 Auction Schedule and Key Deadlines

The IPL 2026 Auction has some important dates.

Phase	Date/Duration	Description
Retention Deadline	November 15, 2025	Teams submit retained player list
Pre-auction Trade Window	Until early Dec 2025	Player trades to rebalance squads
IPL 2026 Mini-Auction	December 13–15, 2025	Teams fill remaining squad spots
Post-auction Trade Window	Until ~Jan 2026	Final squad tuning before the season

November 15 is the last day for teams to announce their retention list. If a team wants to keep a player, they pay him from their total money. If they don’t want a player, they release him.

The auction will happen between December 13 and December 15, 2025. These dates are not fully confirmed yet. The auction will probably happen in Mumbai. All ten IPL teams will sit together and bid for players.

Before the auction starts, teams can trade players with each other. This means if Team A has a player that Team B wants, they can make a deal. This window closes about one week before the auction.

After the auction ends, teams can still make trades. This window stays open for about one month before the IPL 2026 season starts.

Teams must decide which players to keep and which ones to release. They need to manage their money. If teams keep players who cost a lot of money, they have less money for the auction. If they release players, they get more money to buy new ones.

Player Retentions, Releases & Top Picks Of IPL 2026

Teams face tough choices about their players. Some players performed well last season, so teams want to keep them. 

Player Name	Type	Expected Auction Impact
Cameron Green	Overseas All-rounder	High demand, big money expected
Sanju Samson	Indian Batsman/Keeper	High demand if released by the Royals
David Warner	Overseas Batsman	Might get a good price
Jonny Bairstow	Overseas Batsman	Moderate demand

Reports say that captain Sanju Samson has asked the team to release him. If the Royals release him, he will be in the auction. Other teams will try to buy him.

Chennai Super Kings might release some players before the auction. The team finished in last place during IPL 2025. 

Players like Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, and Rahul Tripathi did not score many runs last season. CSK might let them go.

Sam Curran played only five matches and scored 114 runs. Devon Conway played six games and made 156 runs. CSK paid 6.25 crore rupees for Conway, so releasing him would give them more money.

Delhi Capitals might release two fast bowlers. Mitchell Starc cost them INR 11.75 crore and took 14 wickets in 11 matches. T Natarajan cost INR 10.75 crore but played only two games. 

Lucknow Super Giants might release Akash Deep, Mayank Yadav, and David Miller. Akash took only three wickets in six games but cost 8 crore rupees. 

Mayank played just two matches because of injuries. Miller scored 153 runs in 11 games but cost INR 7.5 crore.

Venkatesh Iyer cost 23.75 crore rupees last year. KKR made him vice-captain, but he scored only 142 runs in 11 matches. KKR might release him.

Some young Indian players like Prithvi Shaw, Navdeep Saini, Murugan Ashwin, Sanjay Yadav, Sandeep Warrier, Sarfaraz Khan, and Shivam Mavi went unsold last year. Some of them might get a team this year.

IPL 2026 Auction Format and Team Strategies

The IPL 2026 Auction is a mini-auction. In a mega-auction, teams release almost all players and build new squads. In a mini-auction, teams keep most players and buy only a few new ones. 

Mini-auctions are shorter. The big mega-auction can take two full days with hundreds of players. A mini-auction might finish in one or two days.

All ten teams sit in a room. The auctioneer shows each player’s name on a screen. Teams raise their paddles to bid. The price goes up as teams compete. 

Teams have coaches, owners, and analysts who decide which players to bid for. They plan before the auction day.

Some teams prefer trading players before the auction. Trading is safer because you know which player you’re getting. In the auction, other teams might pay more than you.

IPL 2026 Auction: Live Streaming

You can watch the auction live. The IPL auction will be shown live on television. In India, Star Sports channels usually show the auction. They show every bid and every player.

You can watch online too. JioHotstar will show the auction live. You can watch on your phone, laptop, or tablet.

IPL’s social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook give live updates. They post photos, videos, and news as the auction happens. If you cannot watch the full auction, you can follow along on social media.

Conclusion: December Auction Will Shape IPL 2026 Teams

The IPL 2026 Auction on December 13-15 will change team squads. Teams must decide by November 15 which players to keep. 

Players like Cameron Green, Sanju Samson, and David Warner will be in the auction. Teams will use the mini-auction to fill gaps in their squads. You can watch the auction live on TV and online. 

Follow IPL updates to see which players join which teams for IPL 2026.

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