The IPL 2026 mini-auction delivered big money signings, surprise picks, and intense bidding wars. However, alongside record purchases, a total of 79 players remained unsold at the Indian Premier League 2026 auction.

Out of these 79 unsold players at IPL 2026, 48 were Indian cricketers while 31 were overseas players who failed to secure contracts despite entering the auction pool.

The auction saw 10 franchises spend ₹215.45 crore on 77 players, including 29 overseas signings. While several stars found teams, many well-known names such as Jake Fraser-McGurk, Deepak Hooda, Jonny Bairstow, Devon Conway, and Daryl Mitchell went unsold.

For complete auction structure and squad formation updates, you can refer to the IPL 2026 complete season schedule and structure guide.

IPL 2026 Auction Overview

The IPL 2026 mini-auction took place ahead of the 19th edition of the tournament. A total of 369 players were initially shortlisted, but only 156 went under the hammer.

Auction Detail	Information
Total Shortlisted	369 Players
Players Auctioned	156
Players Sold	77
Players Unsold	79
Total Spending	₹215.45 Crore
Overseas Signings	29

One of the biggest highlights was Cameron Green becoming the most expensive foreign player in IPL history after being bought for ₹25.20 crore.

Interestingly, 213 players were skipped entirely during the first phase, including experienced names like Steve Smith and Mayank Agarwal.

List of Unsold Players in IPL 2026 Auction

Below is the full list of players unsold at the IPL 2026 auction along with their base price, role, and capped/uncapped status.

Unsold Batters – IPL 2026

No.	Player	Base Price	Role	Status
1	Jake Fraser-McGurk (AUS)	₹2 Crore	Batter	Capped
2	Devon Conway (NZ)	₹2 Crore	Batter	Capped
3	Atharva Taide	₹30 Lakh	Batter	Uncapped
4	Anmolpreet Singh	₹30 Lakh	Batter	Uncapped
5	Abhinav Manohar	₹30 Lakh	Batter	Uncapped
6	Yash Dhull	₹30 Lakh	Batter	Uncapped
7	Arya Desai	₹30 Lakh	Batter	Uncapped
8	Sediqullah Atal (AFG)	₹75 Lakh	Batter	Capped
9	Salman Nizar	₹30 Lakh	Batter	Uncapped
10	Manan Vohra	₹30 Lakh	Batter	Uncapped

Australian opener Jake Fraser-McGurk and New Zealand’s Devon Conway were among the biggest surprises in the unsold batters list at IPL 2026.

Unsold Bowlers – IPL 2026

No.	Player	Base Price	Role	Status
16	Gerald Coetzee (SA)	₹2 Crore	Bowler	Capped
17	Spencer Johnson (AUS)	₹1.5 Crore	Bowler	Capped
18	Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG)	₹1 Crore	Bowler	Capped
19	Maheesh Theekshana (SL)	₹2 Crore	Bowler	Capped
20	Mujeeb Ur Rahman (AFG)	₹2 Crore	Bowler	Capped
26	Karn Sharma	₹50 Lakh	Bowler	Uncapped
28	Chetan Sakariya	₹75 Lakh	Bowler	Capped
35	Taskin Ahmed (BAN)	₹75 Lakh	Bowler	Capped
37	Alzarri Joseph (WI)	₹2 Crore	Bowler	Capped
38	Riley Meredith (AUS)	₹1.5 Crore	Bowler	Capped

The absence of bids for established T20 bowlers like Alzarri Joseph and Mujeeb Ur Rahman raised eyebrows, especially given IPL teams’ demand for death-over specialists.

To understand how team combinations are built tactically, read about the Impact Player rule used in IPL .

Unsold All-Rounders – IPL 2026

No.	Player	Base Price	Role	Status
46	Gus Atkinson (ENG)	₹2 Crore	All-rounder	Capped
47	Wiaan Mulder (SA)	₹1 Crore	All-rounder	Capped
48	Deepak Hooda	₹75 Lakh	All-rounder	Capped
49	Vijay Shankar	₹30 Lakh	All-rounder	Uncapped
56	Sean Abbott (AUS)	₹2 Crore	All-rounder	Capped
57	Michael Bracewell (NZ)	₹2 Crore	All-rounder	Capped
58	Daryl Mitchell (NZ)	₹2 Crore	All-rounder	Capped
59	Dasun Shanaka (SL)	₹75 Lakh	All-rounder	Capped
71	William Sutherland (AUS)	₹1 Crore	All-rounder	Capped

Deepak Hooda and Daryl Mitchell were among the biggest Indian and overseas all-rounders who went unsold at IPL 2026.

Unsold Wicketkeepers – IPL 2026

No.	Player	Base Price	Role	Status
72	KS Bharat	₹75 Lakh	Wicketkeeper	Capped
73	Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG)	₹1.5 Crore	Wicketkeeper	Capped
74	Jonny Bairstow (ENG)	₹1 Crore	Wicketkeeper	Capped
75	Jamie Smith (ENG)	₹2 Crore	Wicketkeeper	Capped
76	Ruchit Ahir	₹30 Lakh	Wicketkeeper	Uncapped
77	Vansh Bedi	₹30 Lakh	Wicketkeeper	Uncapped

Jonny Bairstow and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were among the most notable wicketkeepers unsold at IPL 2026.

Accelerated Bidding Round Twist

Interestingly, 19 players who initially went unsold were later picked up in accelerated rounds. Among them were Indian batters Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan, proving that auction dynamics can shift dramatically in the final stages.

High-Profile Players Who Skipped IPL 2026

Some big names chose not to register or opted out before the IPL 2026 auction:

• Glenn Maxwell
• Faf du Plessis

Their decision reduced the overseas competition pool during the auction.

Why Did So Many Players Go Unsold?

Several factors influenced the unsold players list at IPL 2026:

• Team purse constraints
• Squad balance requirements
• Overseas player limit
• Age and workload considerations
• Strategic focus on young Indian talent

Teams often prioritize long-term investments over short-term reputation.

To understand playoff qualification scenarios that influence squad planning, explore theIPL playoff qualification guide.

Can Unsold Players Join Later?

Yes. Unsold players can still enter the IPL 2026 season if:

• Replacements are required due to injuries
• Mid-season withdrawals occur
• Franchises activate replacement windows

For past examples of injury-driven changes, see the list of players withdrawn from IPL.

FAQs – Unsold Players at IPL 2026 Auction

How many players went unsold at IPL 2026 auction?

A total of 79 players went unsold, including 48 Indians and 31 overseas players.

Who were the biggest unsold players at IPL 2026?

Jake Fraser-McGurk, Devon Conway, Deepak Hooda, Jonny Bairstow, and Daryl Mitchell were among the most notable names.

Can unsold players return later?

Yes, they can be signed as replacements during the season.

Why do established players go unsold?

Budget constraints, squad balance, and tactical planning often influence bidding decisions.