KKR in IPL 2026 Auction: With the IPL 2026 mini-auction set for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, the final player list is out and it’s a big one. 359 players have made the cut, including 241 Indians and 118 overseas names, with 77 total slots up for grabs. Among those, 31 can be filled by overseas players.
But the real headline? The 3-time IPL champion, Kolkata Knight Riders will walk in with a massive Rs 64.3 crore purse, the biggest in this auction and a huge advantage when only 13 slots need filling. Along with Chennai Super Kings (Rs 43.4 crore), KKR are expected to shape how the bidding unfolds.
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Late Additions and Notable Names
Franchises requested a few last-minute entries, which added 35 extra players, including Quinton de Kock, Dunith Wellalage and George Linde. Interestingly, Cameron Green, likely to be among the expensive picks, has been listed only as a batter. That doesn’t mean he won’t bowl, but it signals how he wants teams to view him.
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Opening Set: Big Batters on Display
The first batch of players to go under the hammer includes Devon Conway (Rs 2 crore), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Rs 2 crore), Cameron Green (Rs 2 crore), David Miller (Rs 2 crore), Prithvi Shaw (Rs 75 lakh) and Sarfaraz Khan (Rs 75 lakh). Shaw and Sarfaraz were both unsold last year.
Prithvi Shaw: Will Teams Take Another Chance?
Shaw’s career has had its ups and downs, but he seems to be rebuilding. After being dropped by Mumbai, he moved to Maharashtra and immediately topped their Ranji Trophy charts with 470 runs in five matches at an average of 67.14. That includes a highest score of 222.
His T20 numbers aren’t eye-popping, but his recent domestic form gives him a chance to be a value pick, if franchises believe the fitness and consistency are back.
Sarfaraz Khan: Elite in First-Class, Yet Undervalued in T20s
Sarfaraz’s first-class record remains phenomenal with 4,863 runs at an average of 63.15, with 16 hundreds.
Yet he hasn’t clicked in the IPL market. His T20 record 1,375 runs at 25 (SR 132.59) is decent but not standout. However, he reminded everyone of his hitting ability in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, smashing 187 runs in four games at 93.50, including a blazing 100 runs off 47 balls. If teams are looking for Indian middle-order depth, he’s right back in the conversation.
Set 2: Allrounders & Ex-KKR Star Venkatesh Iyer
The second set features Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 2 crore), Deepak Hooda (Rs 75 lakh) and overseas allrounders like Wanindu Hasaranga, Livingstone, Rachin Ravindra, Wiaan Mulder, and Gus Atkinson.
Iyer, once bought by KKR for a whopping Rs 23.75 crore, is back in the pool after being released. Teams will be curious: can he recapture the form that made him such a hot pick?
Uncapped Market: Who’s Worth Tracking?
A massive 227 uncapped Indian players are listed at a base price of Rs 30 lakh. Names to keep an eye on Tanush Kotian, Shams Mulani, Auqib Nabi (J&K allrounder) and Nikhil Chaudhary, who left Punjab, moved to Australia, and has BBL experience. These players often become the auction’s surprise steals.
The Big Picture
With most teams already settled, insiders expect KKR and CSK to dominate proceedings. Both have big purses and several slots to fill, while other franchises are likely to “window-shop” and fine-tune their squads.
The presence of 40 players in the Rs 2 crore bracket including many who went unsold last season adds another layer of intrigue. It only takes two franchises to want the same player for the bidding to escalate fast.