The IPL 2026 Mini Auction, held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on December 16, delivered several headline-making moments. While big international names grabbed massive bids, one Indian name that caught public attention was Sarthak Ranjan, son of Lok Sabha MP Pappu Yadav.
Sarthak Ranjan was picked up by three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at his base price of Rs 30 lakh. This will be his first appearance in the Indian Premier League, marking an important milestone in his cricketing journey.
Big Names Dominate IPL 2026 Auction
The mini auction saw Australian all-rounder Cameron Green emerge as the most expensive player. He was bought by KKR for a massive Rs 25.20 crore. KKR further strengthened their squad by signing Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana for Rs 18 crore.
Uncapped Indian players also enjoyed big paydays. Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma were snapped up by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Rs 14.20 crore each, highlighting the demand for young Indian talent.
Amid these big purchases, KKR quietly added Sarthak Ranjan to their squad, giving the 29-year-old batter a chance to showcase his skills on the biggest T20 stage.
Who Is Sarthak Ranjan?
Sarthak Ranjan is a top-order batter who plays domestic cricket for Delhi. He has steadily built a reputation in local tournaments, especially through his performances in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025.
Playing for North Delhi Strikers, Sarthak had an outstanding season. In 11 matches (10 innings), he scored 495 runs at an average of 55, including four half-centuries. His highest score was 82 runs, and he struck 56 fours and 18 sixes during the tournament.
He finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the DPL 2025, narrowly behind Arpit Rana.
Sarthak Ranjan’s Domestic Cricket Record
Sarthak has represented Delhi across formats. So far, he has played:
2 First-Class matches
4 List-A matches
5 T20 matches
In First-Class cricket, he has scored 28 runs at an average of 9.33. In List-A cricket, he has accumulated 105 runs at an average of 26.25. In T20 cricket, he has scored 66 runs at an average of 13.20.
While his overall domestic numbers may look modest, his recent form in local leagues has clearly impressed IPL scouts.
Early Career and Debuts
Sarthak made his T20 debut in January 2016 against Baroda, when Gautam Gambhir was captaining Delhi. He made his List-A debut in February 2017 against Himachal Pradesh under Rishabh Pant’s captaincy, with Gambhir also part of the squad.
His First-Class debut came in November 2018 against Hyderabad, with Nitish Rana leading the Delhi side.
Sarthak Ranjan and Pappu Yadav: What Is the Connection?
Sarthak Ranjan is the son of Pappu Yadav, the current Member of Parliament from Purnia, Bihar. His mother, Ranjeet Ranjan, is a Rajya Sabha MP from Chhattisgarh on a Congress ticket.
Sarthak came into the political spotlight in March last year, when he joined the Congress party alongside his father. Despite his political background, Sarthak has focused on cricket and earned his IPL opportunity through performances on the field.
With KKR adding him to their squad, all eyes will be on whether Sarthak Ranjan gets a chance to feature in IPL 2026 matches. Even if opportunities are limited, being part of an IPL setup could be a major turning point in his cricketing career.
