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From high-profile overseas stars to out-of-favour Indian match-winners, the ₹2 crore base-price bracket for the IPL 2026 auction is stacked with big names headlined by Cameron Green, Venkatesh Iyer, Steve Smith and Wanindu Hasaranga.
A total of 45 players have entered the auction at this maximum reserve price, underlining how competitive the Abu Dhabi event on December 16 will be with only 77 slots – including 31 overseas – available across 10 franchises.
Only two Indians at ₹2 crore as franchises rethink strategy
In stark contrast to the overseas-heavy nature of the bracket, just two Indian players – legspinner Ravi Bishnoi and allrounder Venkatesh – have listed themselves in the ₹2 crore category. Both were high-value assets in previous cycles: Bishnoi was retained by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹11 crore last season, while KKR used an RTM card to secure Venkatesh for a massive ₹23.75 crore at the last mega-auction before releasing him after a lean 2025 campaign. Their presence at the top base price reflects confidence in their specialised skillsets – Bishnoi as a middle-overs wicket-taker and Venkatesh as a left-handed top-order option with seam-bowling utility.
The long list also throws up some intriguing subplots around absentees and availability. Glenn Maxwell, released by Punjab Kings after a poor 2025 season and fitness concerns, does not feature in the 1,355-player long list at all, while Moeen Ali has chosen the Pakistan Super League over IPL 2026, further shifting overseas allrounder demand towards names like Green, Hasaranga and Daryl Mitchell.
Josh Inglis, who was pivotal in Punjab Kings’ run to the 2025 final, has re-entered the auction but with an availability cap of only 25% of the 2026 season due to personal reasons, meaning teams will need to factor his restricted window into their bidding strategies.
Big-money bracket led by global stars
The long list for the IPL 2026 mini-auction features 1,355 registered players, but the spotlight firmly rests on the elite group of 45 cricketers who have opted for the top base price of ₹2 crore. Among overseas names, Australia’s Green, Smith and Inglis all signalling they are ready for fresh IPL opportunities at the highest starting price.
Green is widely viewed as the marquee allrounder of this auction after skipping the 2025 mega-auction due to a back injury, with Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings well placed financially to pursue him aggressively, given their purses of ₹64.30 crore and ₹43.40 crore respectively. KKR, especially, are expected to chase a like-for-like successor to Andre Russell following the Caribbean player’s IPL retirement, making Green’s pace-bowling, middle-order hitting and elite fielding a near-perfect tactical fit.
With franchises required to submit their shortlists by December 5, the initial 45-man ₹2 crore group is expected to be trimmed, making every retained name in this bracket a clear indicator of which players teams genuinely see as potential game-changers for IPL 2026.
Also READ: Cameron Green IN, Glenn Maxwell OUT: 1,355 players register for the IPL 2026 auction
IPL 2026 Auction: List of cricketers with the base price of ₹2 crore
- India: Ravi Bishnoi, Venkatesh Iyer
- Afghanistan: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen Ul Haq
- Australia: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Ben Cutting, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Steve Smith
- Bangladesh: Mustafizur Rahman
- England: Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Daniel Lawrence, Liam Livingstone, Tymal Mills, Jamie Smith
- New Zealand: Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, William O’Rourke, Rachin Ravindra
- South Africa: Gerald Coetzee, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, David Wiese
- Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Teekshana West Indies: Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein and Alzarri Joseph
Also READ: ‘If not KKR then…’: Venkatesh Iyer reveals his plans and ambitions for IPL 2026 mini auction
