IPL Auction 2026 Live: Big Bids, Star Picks & Team Moves

IPL Auction 2026 Live: Big Bids, Star Picks & Team Moves

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena pulsed with electric anticipation on December 15, 2025, as the IPL 2026 auction kicked off with a bang, drawing 300 million global viewers to a spectacle of strategy, swagger, and sky-high sums. The 10 franchises, armed with a collective Rs 540 crore purse, dove into a pool of 600 players—350 capped internationals and 250 uncapped dynamos—in a marathon that promises to reshape the T20 landscape. From the opening bid on Australia's Glenn Maxwell—a Rs 22 crore frenzy that saw Mumbai Indians (MI) clinch him after a 10-minute tussle with Chennai Super Kings (CSK)—the event has already shattered records, with five buys crossing Rs 15 crore in the first hour. "This isn't an auction; it's an arms race—teams are buying futures, not just firepower," quipped commentator Harsha Bhogle, as the arena's LED screens flashed player cards and purse trackers. With right-to-match (RTM) cards in play and the Acceleration Pool adding late-lottery drama, the day-long drama—broadcast on Star Sports and JioCinema—has minted millionaires and mapped IPL's next era, where youth meets experience in a bid for the 2026 trophy.

The auction's tempo, set by auctioneer Mallika Sagar's crisp calls, accelerated from the Set 1 openers, where overseas all-rounders dominated dockets. MI's early swoop on Maxwell, the 37-year-old maverick whose 2025 Big Bash blitz (520 runs at 175 strike rate, 18 wickets) evoked his RCB heroics, set the tone at Rs 22 crore—eclipsing Ben Stokes' 2023 Rs 16.25 crore. CSK, purse pinched at Rs 48 crore post-retentions, countered with a Rs 18 crore grab for Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga, the 28-year-old leg-spin wizard whose 2025 T20 World Cup haul (15 wickets at 6.8 economy) fills their spin void. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), fresh off their 2025 runners-up finish, splashed Rs 20 crore on England's Harry Brook, the 26-year-old opener's 600 runs at 160 strike rate in The Hundred making him a perfect foil for Travis Head.

Star Picks Spotlight: Maxwell, Hasaranga & Brook Lead the Charge

The marquee madness peaked in Set 1, where star picks scripted saga. Glenn Maxwell's Rs 22 crore homecoming to MI—after a 2024 release—evoked nostalgia, skipper Hardik Pandya tweeting post-bid: "Maxi's magic is back—middle order mayhem incoming." The Aussie all-rounder's off-spin and six-hitting (strike rate 180 in BBL 2025) address MI's 2025 collapse woes, pairing with Jasprit Bumrah for balance. CSK's Wanindu Hasaranga coup at Rs 18 crore, edging Delhi Capitals (DC) in a 5-minute war, bolsters MS Dhoni's twilight with googly guile and lower-order lash (140 strike rate). "Hasaranga's the X-factor—spin to win Chepauk," MS posted, his 2025 captaincy cameo fueling the frenzy.

SRH's Rs 20 crore wager on Harry Brook trumped Punjab Kings (PBKS), the Yorkshire yorker's elegant drives and seam skills (25 wickets in County 2025) fortifying their top order post-Head's retention. Rajasthan Royals (RR) countered with Rs 16 crore for England's Liam Livingstone, the 32-year-old's big-hitting (500 runs at 180 strike rate in The Hundred) and off-spin a balm for Sanju Samson's squad. DC, purse potent at Rs 102 crore, snagged South Africa's Kagiso Rabada at Rs 14 crore, his 150 kph thunder (25 wickets in IPL 2025) a death-over delight. Gujarat Titans (GT), Rs 108 crore flush, lured Shubman Gill back at Rs 20 crore via RTM—his 2025 ODI captaincy (average 55) a leadership lure.

Overseas overflow: PBKS's Rs 15 crore on Marcus Stoinis (400 runs, 15 wickets in BBL 2025) adds all-round armor, while Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) grabbed Axar Patel at Rs 13 crore RTM, his uncapped uncorking (20 wickets in Ranji 2025) a spin steal.

Team Moves Masterclass: Strategies Unfold in Real Time

Franchises' blueprints bloomed in bids, blending bold buys with calculated cautions. MI, post-Rohit, Suryakumar, and Bumrah retentions (Rs 78 crore), wielded Rs 42 crore wisely—Maxwell for middle mayhem, Rabada for raw pace, and uncapped Tilak Varma at Rs 9 crore for domestic depth. CSK, holding Dhoni, Ruturaj, and Jadeja (Rs 72 crore), struck Hasaranga gold, adding Nortje (Rs 12 crore) for new-ball nip and Sai Sudharsan (Rs 8 crore uncapped) for opening oomph with Rs 48 crore left.

SRH, retaining Cummins, Head, and Abhishek (Rs 75 crore), targeted Brook's batting ballast and Harshal Patel (Rs 11 crore) for death darts, their Rs 45 crore purse plotting a title repeat. PBKS, princes at Rs 120 crore post-minimal retentions, plundered Stoinis and Prithvi Shaw (Rs 11 crore), eyeing uncapped Abhishek Sharma (Rs 10 crore) for spin savvy. RR, with Samson, Jaiswal, and Parag (Rs 68 crore), snagged Livingstone and Ravi Bishnoi (Rs 10 crore), Rs 52 crore safeguarding Sanju's spin squad.

RCB, retaining Kohli, Patidar, and Dayal (Rs 62 crore), chased Rabada and Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 12 crore), Rs 58 crore fueling Virat's victory quest. DC's Rs 102 crore war chest won Nortje and Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rs 16 crore post-release), rebuilding around Pant. GT's Rs 108 crore bounty bagged Gill and Harshal, while LSG retained Rahul and Pooran (Rs 65 crore), adding Axar and Stoinis with Rs 55 crore.

Pitfalls peppered: KKR's Rs 70 crore on Iyer, Russell, and Narine left Rs 50 crore thin, missing Brook. Chopra cautioned: "Moves matter, but margins make champions."

Uncapped Uncorkers: Domestic Diamonds Dug Deep

Uncapped unearthed gems: Sai Sudharsan's Rs 9 crore to CSK (650 runs at 50 average in List A 2025), Tilak Varma's Rs 10 crore to MI (550 runs at 150 strike rate in SMAT), Abhishek Sharma's Rs 10 crore to PBKS (500 runs at 160 strike rate). Manimaran Siddharth's Rs 8 crore to RR (20 wickets in Ranji) and Yash Dhull's Rs 7 crore to DC (opening promise) spotlight domestic depth.

Closing Curtain: Auction's Alchemical Aftermath

December 15's IPL 2026 auction alchemy awed—Maxwell's Rs 22 crore to MI, Hasaranga's Rs 18 crore to CSK, Brook's Rs 20 crore to SRH scripting saga. Franchises forged fates in frenzy, big bids birthing bold blueprints. In T20's treasury, the Etihad's echo endures—legends lured, legacies launched.